'Cuts For A Cause' Raises $118K For Pediatric Cancer Care
BOSTON (CBS) – The Boston Bruins may not have their nice heads of hair anymore, but that doesn't stop "Cuts For A Cause" from being one of their favorite events of the season.
Torey Krug's slicked-back locks? Buzzed off. The little bit of hair Jarome Iginla had atop his head? Gone. Dougie Hamilton's year-old mane of red hair? A distant memory.
But all the hair that went flying on Wednesday was taken off by fans, and all for a great cause.
20 Bruins took part in this year's annual hair cut for charity, hosted by 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher & Rich and Bruins forward Shawn Thornton, which raised money to support pediatric cancer care. Over 1,000 people packed the Boston Park Plaza Hotel on Wednesday to watch their favorite players get a buzz cut for kids.
This year's "Cuts For A Cause," which is now in its seventh year, raised a record $118,340— nearly $42,000 more than last year's event.
"It's pretty surreal," said a freshly buzzed Thornton. "We have to take a step back sometime, I can't believe we raised this much money for shaving our heads."
Last week, Bruins fans and Sports Hub listeners placed bids to buzz the head of their favorite players, and a few of their favorite Sports Hub personalities, raising nearly $26,000 in the process. The 20 players that had their heads shaved are the most to participate in the event's history.
"We have a record number of guys and have raised the most ever, so it keeps getting bigger and bigger. We're very fortunate that everyone is buying into this," Thornton said. "It keeps getting bigger, which is pretty cool."
PHOTOS: 7th Annual "Cuts For A Cause"
Even the few Bruins that did not participate in the "Cuts" portion of the event made sure to make a donation; netminder Tuukka Rask held on to his long locks but made a $5,000 donation to the cause.
While some veterans were able to keep their hair, Thornton has little sympathy for his younger teammates that had quite a bit taken off -- especially Hamilton.
"I don't feel for him -- he's just too cheap that he didn't cut his hair for a year," Thornton said of Hamilton. "He's getting a free haircut."
"I'm not too cheap for a haircut," Hamilton said in his defense. "It was all for this."
PHOTOS: Before & After At "Cuts For A Cause"
"I think they're doing Dougie a favor," said B's winger Chris Kelly. "Torey (Krug) has nice hair, but he'll save money on product, I guess."
WBZ-TV's Dan Roche reports:
The winning bidders and patients at Floating Hospital got some special VIP time with the Bruins ahead of the event, giving them a chance to rub elbows and share stories with their favorite players.
All proceeds earned will be donated to the Shawn Thornton Foundation, the Boston Bruins Foundation and Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts Medical Center.
Tune in to Toucher & Rich every weekday from 6-10 a.m. on 98.5 The Sports Hub!
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