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Travis shears his 'afro' for cancer kids

Maggie Robson sheared Travis Sharman's 'afro' at Aldergrove Secondary's gym Wednesday in his fundraiser for Wigs for Kids charity.
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Maggie Robson shears Travis Sharman at Aldergrove Secondary's gym Wednesday in his fundraiser for Wigs for Kids charity.

To the hoots and cheers of fellow Aldergrove Secondary school students Travis Sharman climbed aboard the dunk tank during Tuesday’s (May 5) lunch break. Within minutes he was unceremoniously dunked with a splash, by a well-aimed baseball thrown by a teacher.

Aldergrove Secondary students enjoyed a dunk tank and carnival fundraiser for Wigs for Kids on Tuesday's lunch break.

It was all the in the name of good fun and fundraising for Wigs for Kids BC, a volunteer run organization helps kids living with cancer enjoy a better life.

And on Wednesday it culminated with Travis having his head shaved in the school gym, with his famous curly locks destined to help create wigs for kids who have lost their hair due to cancer.

Students, family and other supporters filled the bleachers at Wednesday's lunch-time assembly for their first look at Travis without his trademark afro hairstyle.

As his father, Lyall, observed, "This is the first time in almost 16 years that we have seen Travis's scalp. He's had that afro for almost all of his life."

Wednesday's event started with a crew waxing the leg hairs of socials studies teacher Kyriakos Costopoulos. Teachers Stuart Crowley and Nadine Lutejn threw in extra donations to Wigs for Kids for the privilege of pulling the wax tapes off Costopoulos's legs, which he bravely endured with an occasional wince.

Then hairdresser Maggie Robson got down to the task at hand, shearing Travis's afro. Strip by strip fell to the floor, leaving Travis with a remarkable curly Mohawk-style down the centre of his head. Then it too fell to the floor.

To cheers from the assembly Travis displayed his shorn head and thanked everyone who has supported his fundraiser.

"It's been really great, we raised tons of money."

Just before the shearing, Travis's mother, Michelle, observed that the on-line fundraiser was $10 short of Travis's $5,000 goal, so she added $25 to push it over the top.

"The on-line total stands at $5,015 and the school events raised at least another $1,000, and money is still coming in," Lyall told The Star just after the shearing was completed.

"We're all very proud of Travis and what he has accomplished," added Michelle.

Travis told The Star on Tuesday that he had raised $4,600 in on-line donations as of Tuesday, with another $800 pledged in other donations, plus whatever funds were raised in the Tuesday noon-hour school carnival and dunk tank. He said he was hoping to raise as much as $8,000 in total.

Those who wish to contribute can visit the fundraising website for details: see https://secure.bcchf.ca/SuperheroPages/main.cfm?Event=WigsForKids&Member=51328

KURT LANGMANN PHOTOS

Teachers Stuart Crowley and Nadine Lutejn threw in donations for the privilege of waxing teacher Kyriakos Costopoulos's legs at Aldergrove Secondary's gym Wednesday in Travis Sharman's fundraiser for Wigs for Kids charity.

Travis Sharman's mother, Michelle (at right) gets her first look at her son's scalp in almost 16 years as Maggie Robson shears his famous afro at Aldergrove Secondary's gym Wednesday.

Travis Sharman shows his family and fellow students what he looks like without his famous afro at Aldergrove Secondary's gym Wednesday in his fundraiser for Wigs for Kids charity.

Travis Sharman with his family after his famous afro was sheared at Aldergrove Secondary's gym Wednesday in his fundraiser for Wigs for Kids charity. From left are grandmother Ellie, mother Michelle, Travis, brother Eric and father Lyall.