Bald Is Still Beautiful!

By Kathy Moore

Bald is definitely beautiful according to Joe Driggers, Mark Best, Royce Copeland, Kenny Hill, Steve Routh and Robert Hauft. These friends came together to show support for Mark last year in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. They shaved their heads at the Barber Pole off Wright Square. Then, in a dramatic display, had local companies' logos sketched on their shiny, bald heads as they walked together in the two-day event. They called their team, "Bald for Best."

The reason they call their team “Bald for Best” is for Mark Best, their friend. At this time last year, Mark was in remission but still battling Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma with chemo at first. Then a marrow transplant made the difference, and he is now a cancer survivor,
although still ongoing with some treatments for the next couple of years. He participated in the Relay last year and was excited about doing it again this year with his fellow team mates/friends. They received an honor from the American Cancer Society last year for
raising the most money on site out of the over 100 other teams present.
This year, they followed with their new tradition and shaved their heads at the Barber Pole again making this the second year running for the “Bald for Best” team. The Barber Pole was gracious enough to donate the shaving service and friends even donated the clippers!
A year’s growth of hair hit the floor of the Barber Pole, as each team member had their turn in the hot swivel seat. Not only do they get a buzz with the clippers, but they also get the full treatment complete with shaving the scalp clean with a razor, and a nice stinging astringent applied to top it all off! Then the canvas is ready.
Joe Driggers refers to the marketing opportunity as “Cranial Real Estate.” He named several local companies donating money and logos for the effort; Dr. Gerald Kramer of Stagefront Presentations, Woodlands Bank, South Magazine, Savannah Toyota, Victor Petrault
(Attorney), Savannah Chamber of Commerce, Precinct Deli, AAction Air, Jazz’d Tapas Bar, Wachovia Bank, Digital Image, Advertising Specialty Services and Z102 were some of them. The same businesses returned this year to help and they also added several new ones.
“We planned this in a week and made $5,000 last year!” Joe says. He also stated that they were recognized by the Georgia Chapter of the American Cancer Society as having the most unique and original fund raising idea. The monetary goal for Relay for Life this year was $295,000. Relay for Life expects to raise money at these events by selling Luminaries and by receiving on site donations. The $10 bags with lit candles are set around the track at night. They also raise money for the goal by the team entry fees.
Kenny Hill is the artist teammate. He says Sharpies, eye liner pens and pencils seem to work best in recreating the logo of a company on his friends’ heads. They also used temporary tattoo designs that were applied and then touched up. Or people could write their own name or decorate their shiny noggins, with a donation. They do this all at their tent stationed at the Relay. Then they walked the track at Benedictine in shifts. It’s a two-day event that actually lasts 24 hours and they stay overnight.
Bands, talent and food services are at Relay for Life, the American Cancer Society’s signature fund raising event. The event encompasses compassion, comfort and honor for those who’ve lost their lives and for the survivors of Cancer. A ceremony is held for those lost to Cancer with luminaries lit. There is a special lap walked for survivors. This year, that lap was special for Mark Best. His treatments have worked for him in the year that has passed since his friends started this for him.
Relay for Life is an event also meant to empower individuals to fight back, per their website, www.kintera.org/faf/home/. If you’d like to get involved next year with the Bald for Best team or just want to help or donate, check out the site or call Joe Driggers at
(912) 596-6208. Or you can simply make a donation to the American Cancer Society. Your contribution is tax deductible. You can always form your own team and help to raise money and awareness like Mark’s friends did, too!