The Kissimmee Police and Fire departments are once again hosting one of Osceola County’s most prominent charity events, sponsored by the St. Baldricks Foundation. The event, called Rock The Bald, will be held Saturday from 4:30-8:30 p.m. in downtown Kissimmee at 3 Sisters Speakeasy. The event raises funds to fight pediatric cancer.
Andrew Sullivan, an annual St. Baldricks participant and the Senior Public Information Manager for the city of St. Cloud, has participated in the last five versions of the local event.
When donations to find cures for pediatric cancer were scarce during COVID-19, Sullivan persevered and did a virtual head-shaving live on Facebook to raise money for the cause.
“My first year, I raised more than $500, but in the last few years I’ve really ramped up my efforts, and last year totaled more than $2,500 for the foundation,” he said. “At last year’s event, Lt. (James) Napier (of the Kissimmee Police Department) collected an additional $250 in order to shave off my eyebrows.”
As the current leader in fundraising for the Rock the Bald event, Sullivan is now at about $850 of his $2,000 goal, which is still available for donations, and all you have to do is go to www.stbaldricks.org/participants/andrewsullivan.
Every bit counts, and it doesn’t always require head-shaving. At the event, you can interact with the crowd and local officials and donate what you can.
Per the St. Baldricks website, more than 300,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year worldwide, and in the last 20 years, only four new drugs have been approved that were specifically developed to treat children with cancer.
Make an impact and donate to the St. Baldricks Foundation to fund more research for pediatric cancer by going to www.stbaldricks.org/donate or join in on the fun at the Kissimmee event. Children need hope, and research to help find a cure is hope.
