A Cut Above: Rebels Shave Heads for Children's Cancer Research

For the third straight year the Walpole Rebels football team has been on the cutting edge of children's cancer research.

Over 60 people, many Rebel football players, signed up to have their heads shaved in the high school cafeteria Saturday, Nov. 17, as part of a fund raising effort for the St. Baldrick's Foundation.

St. Baldrick's is a children's cancer research fund raising organization whose goal is to help find cures for children with cancer.

According to Kevin Sullivan, a former Rebel who helped organize the event, the team raised $12,270 this year.

“Over the three years they’ve raised a total of about [$36,895], to this point, so it’s a cause that’s near and dear to their hearts,” he said.

Sullivan said the event, which started as a team building exercise, fits into the Rebel football culture nicely.

“It just made sense. Walpole’s football is sort of famous. It was made famous by the General, coach [John] Lee. He was always known for having a bald head so it was just a charity that seemed to coincide well with the program,” he said.

The top fundraisers for the team were Kyle Raftery ($1,480), Cam Hanley ($1,400) and Jake Ciavattone ($746).

For the third year in a row, hair stylists from Supercuts on the Norwood/Walpole line donated their services and clippers to shave the heads.