{"id":1739,"date":"2014-04-02T16:49:10","date_gmt":"2014-04-02T16:49:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/?p=1739"},"modified":"2014-05-27T19:41:02","modified_gmt":"2014-05-27T19:41:02","slug":"five-friends-make-hair-raising-sacrifice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/five-friends-make-hair-raising-sacrifice\/","title":{"rendered":"Five friends make hair-raising sacrifice"},"content":{"rendered":"

**Update: After this story was published, Sam Copeland was honored as one of \u201cVirginia Beach\u2019s Best All Around\u201d youth. The award is given to youth, youth groups, adults who work with youth, and businesses and organizations that demonstrate an investment in youth for his work with St. Baldrick’s.*<\/em><\/p>\n

At first sight, the five newly shorn heads sitting around the neighborhood picnic table raise no concern \u2013 perhaps a new class picture is impending or, maybe, as the five boys are laughing and talking under the long overdue beams of the sun, they wanted to prepare for the warmth of spring.<\/p>\n

Yet, as Jacob Copeland, his big brother Sam, twin brothers David and Aidan Edwards and Zach Guisto will tell you, these new dos are more meaningful than a yearbook photo or change in season. These haircuts are a public declaration of solidarity and support for children everywhere fighting cancer.<\/p>\n

Three weeks ago, the fivesome raised more than $2,000 as part the St. Baldricks Foundation. Participants solicit sponsorships, and, in return for donations, they shave their heads bald. All the money raised benefits childhood cancer research, but, for the boys, participating has a more important message.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou help kids who have cancer so you can show them bald is beautiful,\u201d David said.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven without hair, you\u2019re still the same person,\u201d Sam added.<\/p>\n

The boys had heard of programs that allow volunteers to shave their heads and donate their hair to make a wig for those in need. Originally, that was the goal. However, a chance encounter at a local restaurant changed that plan.<\/p>\n

\"shave<\/a>The boys ran into a family friend, whose son had battled stomach cancer. Now a survivor, he spent his efforts working for St. Baldricks because, as he put it, instead of helping one child with one wig, participants can help lots of children with research.<\/p>\n

The boys were hooked.<\/p>\n

Immediately, they set up a website and started looking for sponsors. The donations came pouring in. By the time came to shave their heads, the boys had raised $2,800.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe did a really good thing because we helped thousands of kids who have cancer,\u201d David said.<\/p>\n

Coming back to school – all five boys attend Kempsville Elementary School – classmates were in shock over the new look.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverybody that walked in the room, they were like ‘ahhhh’ (mouth gaping open),\u201d Aidan said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I walked in, everyone just froze,\u201d Sam added.<\/p>\n

Shock aside, the boys said there are practical advantages to the bald look.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy mom, she said, \u2018I can finally see your eyes,\u2019\u201d Zach said.<\/p>\n

And, \u201cyou get a nice breeze through your hair,\u201d Jacob added.<\/p>\n

Shocking friends aside, the boys understand their work was more than just a cosmetic change; it allowed them to help those who need it. That priority, they say, has been the highlight of this entire experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the beginning, I was really happy,\u201d Aidan concluded, \u201cand I\u2019m still happy. I like spending time with my friends and doing something good together.\u201d<\/p>\n

His friends agree.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is one the best things I\u2019ve ever done,\u201d David said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

**Update: After this story was published, Sam Copeland was honored as one of \u201cVirginia Beach\u2019s Best All Around\u201d youth. The award is given to youth, youth groups, adults who work […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1739","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-community-connections"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1739","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1739"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1739\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1744,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1739\/revisions\/1744"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1739"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1739"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1739"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}