For those of you who may not know, Patrick BMW is hosting a Shave-A-Thon this Saturday, March 21. For the third year in a row, Patrick Cars and, specifically, the Patrick BMW dealer in Chicago is working with St. Baldrick’s to raise funds for kids’ cancer research.

The event will be from 11am-3pm on Saturday. Shavees will pledge money that will be donated to kids’ cancer research centers. Last year the event raised $44,855 that went directly to kid’s cancer research, and even in tougher economic times, the dealership is hopeful people will continue to show amazing generosity. While we scale back in many areas, pediatric cancers are not bound by recessions, so I encourage people to give what they can toward this cause.

You can join in by getting pledges from family and friends and having your head shaved at the event. It is a meaningful way to show support for kids undergoing chemotherapy. But most importantly, by participating, you contribute to the funds necessary to finding cures. Just click on this link to pledge your donation http://www.stbaldricks.org/events/event_info.html?EventKey=2008|156 or go to www.stbaldricks.org to see shave-a-thons from previous years.

I urge anyone able to support this effort to get out to Patrick BMW this Saturday. It is a wonderful gesture that will inspire others to join the fight against cancer. Plus, it’s getting warmer. Who needs hair?

Patrick BMW is located at 700 East Golf Road in Schaumburg.