Utica mayor goes bald for charity

UTICA — Utica Mayor Gus Calandrino went bald March 30 for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, which raises money to support children who have been diagnosed with cancer.

Calandrino shaved his head and beard at an event called “Going Bald for the Cause” at O’Connor’s Public House in Rochester to support children with cancer and raise more than $1,900 to help kids with cancer.

He was able to raise $1,921 and he won first place for fundraising. Overall, the event raised $25,000.

Those who cut off their hair for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation not only raise funds for researchers, but they also spread awareness every time they show their bald heads.

Since 2005, St. Baldrick’s events have helped raise more than $356 million for pediatric cancer research.

Calandrino said it all came together when he recently reconnected with an old friend, Michael Fiscus. They had not seen each other for more than 30 years.

“We discussed what we’ve both been doing and Michael mentioned he was very involved with the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. The not-for-profit foundation’s mission is to raise funds to help find cures for children with cancer. I was stirred by my friend’s passion and dedication to the foundation. I was recently involved with a fundraising effort for a young Shelby Township boy afflicted with a rare type of brain cancer who is now thriving. I decided to throw my hat into the ring and help to raise funds for these beautiful kids. I’d like to thank all my friends and Utica residents who generously contributed to St. Baldrick’s to support my campaign,” he said.

He said it was his honor to participate.

“Michael Fiscus has organized this event for 18 years and contacted me to help raise money for kids with cancer,” he said.

He said he personally has been impacted by the effects of cancer and what a person must go through.

“I have been impacted by cancer in the last year. My baby sister, Suzanna, passed away, as well as my dear friend Brian Barczyk. I was also involved with the young boy, Beckett Fowler, who was afflicted with brain cancer but is now in remission. I’m thankful to everyone who donated to my campaign,” he said.

Fiscus, director of business development at St. Baldrick’s Foundation, said that every year, the foundation gets a few new volunteers who discover the cause and jump in to make a difference.

“Sometimes a new volunteer shavee jumps in with great enthusiasm and hits some big fundraising levels in their first year. That is what I saw with the mayor of Utica, signing up in the last few weeks leading into the event and jumping into the top fundraiser spot in a matter of days. I found this inspiring because the event was in another community, not his own. He saw the need to help kids with cancer and stepped up in a big way and raised a lot of money in a really short window of time,” Fiscus said.

He said that in his 17 years of hosting events, it’s not been often that people can break the $1,000 mark in the matter of a few days.

“Hitting $1,920 in that short a time was quite a feat; he could easily pass the $2,000 mark with some ongoing donations post-shaving. He was a great sport as I saw his progress and presented friendly challenges to him, sometimes a few times a day. He added some fun to the fundraising for me. He inspired me to work a little harder getting donations, which is tough going into 19 years of going bald and asking people to donate year after year. He did a great thing and Utica should be proud of him,” he said.