Saturday, March 14 was a damp, bone-chillingly cold day, typical of a late-winter day in Michigan. It was a day suited for wrapping up in a thick, woolly blanket by a fire, only moving from that spot when absolutely necessary. It certainly wasn’t a day for losing a source of warmth, like a full head of hair.
But for more than 500 children and adults in Southeastern Michigan, March 14 was the day they went bald.
Last Saturday, hundreds of volunteers and spectators from across the state gathered at the Lions Field House in Romeo for the sixth-annual Village of Romeo St. Baldrick’s fundraising event, which raises money for life-saving childhood cancer research. Spectators stood shoulder-to-shoulder as they watched volunteers “brave the shave” for St. Baldrick’s and shave their heads in solidarity with those fighting childhood cancer.
Lombardo Companies’ 15-headed team of construction coordinators, maintenance technicians, office staffers and family members fundraised more than $44,700 for St. Baldrick’s, blowing our original goal of $30,000 out of the water. Team Lombaldy was the top fundraising team at the Village of Romeo event and currently holds the no. 28 spot for all shaving teams throughout the world. In addition, Village of Romeo is the fifth-highest fundraising event of more than 9,900 events and fundraisers worldwide, bringing in more than $290,000 for childhood cancer research.
“I’m proud of all that our team accomplished,” said Cathy Lombardo, Team Lombaldy captain. “They did an amazing, selfless act in solidarity with kids with cancer. We had a ton of support from our trade partners, too – we couldn’t have done it without them!”
We’re already beginning to plan Team Lombaldy’s involvement in next year’s St. Baldrick’s event! We aim to get more people involved, both from our own team and our vendors and trade partners, and to increase our donation amount to this worthy cause. But, don’t worry – we’ll let everyone’s hair grow back first.
