Madison Atchison of Clifford held a terrific fun day, Hope for Jake, on March 25 at the community complex here.
In January, 11-year-old Atchison devised a plan to raise money by cutting her ponytail and shaving her head when she reached $500, and then $1,000, to help support her 8-year-old friend Jake Schafer, from Durham. He suffers from neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer that attacks his bones, growing painful tumours.
When Atchison approached the Clifford Rotary Club at Greenley’s Restaurant on Valentine’s Day, the enthusiasm level was raised when they added $1,000 to her total. Atchison’s enthusiasm was infectious. She wanted more friends and family and the whole community to be involved and to share in her new goal, to host a fun day Hope for Jake.
Atchison’s mom, Jennifer Atchison, ran with the idea and within a few weeks, Madison, her brother Aidan, her mom, her grandma Joanne Weltz and grandfather Jim, and great- grandma Joan Ostoff, more family, and even more friends had plans in place.
A free skate was held to kick off the event at the arena, but it was difficult to pass by the aroma of kettle popped popcorn from Lantz’s Meat Market at the front doors.
Jennifer Ellis offered people $2 chances on 50:50 draws. Tables of goods were set up for bids in the silent auction and lined one wall of the hall. Weltz and Linda Litt had refreshments and baked goods filling more tables. April Logel and more of Atchison’s friends looked after the children’s games along the other wall. Front and centre was the Tophat magic show with Doug French. In the middle of it all was clown Val E Joy who set up her station to make balloon animals and paint faces.
At 4pm, the excitement rose as Aidan Atchison took the chair and was the first to be shorn in the shave-off. Madison removed the purple balloon crown and revealed all of her four braids. Hairdresser Susan Francis from Wingham handed the scissors to Jake Schafer who snipped until the first braid on the right side of her head was cut.
Aidan snipped at the one on the left. Ashlie French cut one at the back and Jake cut the last one. Madison didn’t flinch until the cool spray from the water bottle touched her neck, then the shears started their task.
Now without the hair, the message of ‘Hope 4 Jake’ really stood out on her face, along with her proud smile.
Linda Litt of Clifford set up her chair and the cutting continued as Jake’s cousin Emma, more girls, and Jake’s hockey team, the Durham Huskies, had their heads shaved, along with one of the coaches.
Craig French, Jennifer’s boyfriend shaved his head for the cause.
Even though Steve Lantz did not sell over $1,000 worth of popcorn, he allowed them to shave his head too.
Madison Atchison was convinced she could raise $5000 and possibly $1,000. After totalling the funds from, she had $4,974 and finds the total sitting at $7,500.
Her mom said someone who didn’t make it to the fun day handed her a $20 bill the other day, raising the total to $7,520. Perhaps Atchison’s level of hope for Jake has increased too, as she is well on her way to reaching $10,000.
Other people have expressed an interest in helping. If 124 more people handed in their twenties, Atchison would have raised ten times more than she first thought possible.
And it was simple conversation about helping Jake by cutting her ponytail that created heaping of hope for Jake. Atchison did not want Jake to be the only one without hair. She thought the event would make him feel better.
Jake now has a lot of friends that look a lot like him; adults included.
Atchison’s family is proud of its little girl. Catherine and Gerald Schafer are proud of her and the courage she mustered to shave her head to support their son Jake. Atchison’s friends wonder how her head feels and offered her a bandana to keep warm.
Atchison is excited and overwhelmed to have so much support.
For more information, call Atchison or her mom at 519-327-4649, e-mail at jenniferweltz@msn.com, write to her at Box 69, Clifford, Ontario N0G 1M0, or drop by Greenley’s Restaurant in Clifford where Jennifer works most days. An account has been set up for Jake Schafer in trust.
Fun for Jake led to funds for treatment and more Hope for Jake.
During April, the Canadian Cancer Society promotes awareness and raises funds. Atchison is grateful to everyone who helped one little girl help give hope to one little boy.
