On Saturday, October 4, the Quinnipiac University Bobcats were able to give back to the community in a unique way: by shaving their heads. Following the annual intra-squad scrimmage, coach Rand Pecknold, the entire coaching staff and most of the team were among 47 participants to have their heads shaved at the Blades & Shaves event. To date, $27,218 has been raised in donations to benefit the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, the world’s largest volunteer-driven fundraising event for children’s cancer research.

“Blades & Shaves exceeded our wildest expectations,” Pecknold said. ““We far eclipsed our fundraising goal in support of medical research for children’s cancer and also helped spread awareness about the disease and the damaging effect it has on kids. I want to personally thank everyone – including my student-athletes and staff – who so generously donated their money, time or hair to help make this event so successful.”

After Blue defeated Gold 4-2, with a winning goal by junior forward Brandon Wong, participants and spectators watched as Pecknold and players had their heads shaved. The event, emceed by Deb Placey, a television sports reporter who has covered the New York Islanders and New York Rangers, was inspired by Pecknold’s six-year-old neighbor Brent McCreesh. McCreesh was diagnosed with neuroblastoma at age two. His parents Michael and Dana co-founded Team Brent in association with St. Baldrick’s. Team Brent has raised more than $1 million and shaved more than 1,000 heads over the past three years.

Furthermore, St. Baldrick’s Foundation Manager of Special Events Corrine Jones was there to present a grant check for $110,000 to Dr. Nina Kadan-Lottick of Yale New Haven Hospital for cooperative research. Also following the event was a Bobcat autograph session with team photos given away to youth players and fans.

Donations are still being accepted online at www.stbaldricks.org or at the Blades & Shaves event page, http://www.stbaldricks.org/events/event_info.html?EventKey=2008-1496.