Rona staff excited for second annual charity bake sale

Miriam Ostermann
Times Associate Editor

 

Last year, when Shelley Gieck walked into the Rona staff room, tears started streaming down her face with emotions running high at the unexpected sight of tables laden with homemade baked goods created by her peers. Gieck, who originally concocted the idea of a bake sale to raise additional funds for the Hair Massacure fundraiser and thus support children affected by life-threatening illnesses, is building on last year’s success by avidly labouring the point of the second annual bake sale among the current Rona staff members. With $1,400 already secured – collected over two weeks ahead of the official campaign start date of Feb. 1, the bake sale racked up over $900 last year; a portion which made up nearly one-third of the total funds raised for the Hair Massacure campaign.
However, for 2016, the store has set its sights on greater horizons.
“I’m hoping to beat it and I harp and bug everybody, I’m doing a calendar and marking off the days in February until we get to it,” Gieck said.
“I feel that we are a good company that supports the town and supports whatever fundraisers are going on and service clubs. I know we’re a big sponsor at the trade show on the rodeo grounds, and we’re in the parade. But for me, our big fundraiser for this, the Hair Massacure event, is the bake sale.”
It’ll be the second time Strathmore’s Rona will be hosting the bake sale and the fourth time participating in the campaign. The store has already begun selling the campaign’s pink hard hats, pencils, paper bears, and lollipops, while filling up their pledge sheets with proceeds being donated to the Ronald McDonald House and the Make a Wish Foundation. The $1,400 signals a healthy start to the fundraising efforts, despite the repercussions of a struggling economy. With hopes of recreating some of last year’s creations, including sparkling edible stiletto shoes, and dessert that looks like burgers and fries, the staff aim to throw a curve ball at other Rona stores who, over the years, have turned the event into a fundraising competition. In doing so, Gieck and the staff intend to surpass the approximately $3,000 raised overall in 2015.
“I just thought how can we make some extra money above what we’ve been doing,” Gieck said.
“Last year we probably made, I’m going to say $3,000 to $4,000. That’s kind of what our goal is again this year but with the economy the way it is, it’s a good start. If we make it that’s awesome, but every little bit helps. I don’t think there’s not one person that not affected.”
The Hair Massacure event originated in Edmonton in 2003, when a young girl, Kali MacDonald, was cleared from cancer and treatment after going into remission, a state in which she remains to this day. Kali was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia at the age of 2, and endured three years of daily chemotherapy. While she involved in a trial where she was given adult doses, the treatment proved to be successful, and Kali went on to inspire the Hair Massacure fundraising event that to this day distributed over $10 million to northern Alberta charity organization. Although Gieck crossed off an item on her bucket list last year, when she dyed her hair and shaved her locks for the cause, members of the community can become involved by pinking their hair – having it bleached and dyed pink – at Mount Royal University, shaving their hair, donating their hair to various wig programs, or more commonly by purchasing Kali Bears and other items at Save-On-Foods or Rona.
The Rona 2nd annual Hair Massacure Bake Sale will take place on Feb. 12 from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. Prices range from $2 to $6 and items can be purchased using cash or cards. The Hair Massacure campaign will continue to accept donations and sell items until Feb. 28.