Police Auxiliaries going bald to raise money for cancer care
The Calgary Police Service Auxiliaries are once again losing their hair to raise money for Kids Cancer Care, as part of the Shave Your Lid for a Kid® campaign. The annual shave has become a tradition for the Auxiliaries and this is the third year they have participated.
The Auxiliaries are hoping to raise at least $2,500 by losing their locks, with donations coming from friends, family and their colleagues at CPS. They also hope that their efforts will help raise awareness for the need for cancer research, treatment and education.
“Cancer isn’t something that any child should have to think about or deal with, but there are many kids who have to face it each year,” says Auxiliary Conor Fitzgerald. “The great thing about this fundraiser is that when people shave their head, it visually shows those kids that they are not alone in their fight.”
The Auxiliaries initially decided to support the children’s cancer charity because some of their team personally know kids who have been supported by the organization during battles with cancer. Since then, it has become an annual event for the program.
Last year, the group set the goal of raising $1,000 and ended up raising over twice what they hoped. Shave Your Lid for a Kid® is a grassroots fundraising initiative that has raised more than $10 million for Kids Cancer Care since its inception in 1998.
“We look at our Auxiliary program as a way that young people can be mentored by our members and learn how fulfilling it can be to help others,” says Constable Joe Shorkey, with the Calgary Police Service Youth Mentorship Team. “Seeing these Auxiliaries take the initiative to support a cause like this makes us very proud.”
Every year in Alberta, over 160 children are diagnosed with cancer and are often left feeling alone and frightened. Kids Cancer Care strives to ease the pain and suffering of these children and their families every day by providing funding and programming in three key areas: research and hospital; education support and scholarships; and camp and outreach programs.
The Auxiliary Cadet program was started by the Calgary Police Service in 2013 as a way to help young people bridge into a career as a police officer, and to help police better serve the public. It is designed for individuals between the ages of 18 and 24 that have an interest in a policing career, but it is open to anyone.
More information on Kids Cancer Care and other future Shave Your Lid for a Kid® events can be found at kidscancercare.ab.ca.
