Community members, local officials, and SUNY Old Westbury students will come together on Sunday, March 22 for the 16th annual St. Baldrick’s head-shaving fundraiser at The Downtown Café in Glen Cove. The event is dedicated to raising awareness and funds for childhood cancer research. 

The event, scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. at The Downtown Café on School Street, is part of the nationwide St. Baldrick’s Foundation initiative, which supports research and treatment for pediatric cancers. 

Throughout the day, Old Westbury Web Radio – OWWR – will broadcast live music and coverage from noon to 5 p.m., while also livestreaming a video of the event so supporters can watch from anywhere. The broadcast often includes appearances by local leaders, firefighters and police officers who come to show their support. 

For Angelina Zavala, a SUNY Old Westbury student and production director at OWWR, seeing volunteers shave their heads for the cause sends a strong message of solidarity to children battling cancer. 

“I think it’s really powerful,” she said. “For kids dealing with such a horrible disease, seeing adults shave their heads for them is probably a really bright light for them.” 

Joe Manfredi, a lecturer in the Media and Communications department at SUNY Old Westbury and station manager of OWWR, said the Glen Cove event has become a meaningful tradition for the station and its students.

“St. Baldrick’s is a fundraiser held annually really around the nation,” Manfredi said. “People go out and get money in their community or from friends and family, and then they sit in the barber’s chair and get their head shaved in solidarity for a pediatric cancer patient.” 

The Glen Cove event has been taking place for nearly two decades, and OWWR has participated for about 14 years. The radio station was originally invited to help promote the fundraiser and has continued its involvement ever since. 

“It’s the one day of the year where we’re not doing anything for ourselves,” Manfredi said. “We’re doing something for someone else. It’s community service and real community coming together for real people.” 

The event is hosted by The Downtown Café and features volunteer barbers from Strong Island Styles, a local hair salon led by Brian Basile. Together with OWWR students and staff, the partnership has helped create a unique community tradition in Glen Cove. 

In addition to supporting the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, the event also raises money for the Nicholas Pedone Foundation, which supports families affected by neuroblastoma, a form of childhood cancer. 

Students from OWWR take on a variety of roles during the event, from hosting the broadcast to conducting interviews with attendees and operating production equipment. These interviews are often edited into a program called OWWR Spotlight, which highlights community voices and stories from the event. 

Zavala participated in the event last year and said it was one of her first major off-campus broadcasting experiences. 

“The first thing I learned about the event was that people were going to shave their heads, and that piqued my interest because I wanted to see it,” Zavala said. “But learning that we’re raising money for kids with pediatric cancer made it even more meaningful.” 

Zavala said the event brings together community members and students in a powerful way. 

“The street gets packed, and inside The Downtown Café it’s packed too,” she said. “You’re really communicating with everyone and enjoying each other’s presence.” 

As part of her role with OWWR, Zavala helps produce promotional announcements and live reads that encourage listeners to attend or donate. 

“Because we’re a global internet radio station, people anywhere in the world can hear about St. Baldrick’s,” Zavala said. “Someone in another country might learn about the cause and decide to donate.” 

Both Manfredi and Zavala emphasized that community involvement is essential to keeping charitable events like St. Baldrick’s going. 

“Younger generations play a really big role,” Zavala said. “If we don’t continue to support these causes, where are they going to be in 20 or 40 years?” 

Manfredi echoed that sentiment, encouraging anyone interested to come out and support the event in whatever way they can. 

“You don’t have to shave your head,” he said. “You can make a donation, support a participant, or just come down and enjoy the day. It’s a celebration of life.” 

Attendees can participate by shaving their heads, donating, or supporting participants and learning more about childhood cancer research efforts. 

St. Baldrick’s fundraiser. Sun., Mar. 22 at 1 p.m., The Downtown Café, at 4 School St., Glen Cove.