Patchogue St. Baldrick's brings out first-timers of all ages

From men with beards to elementary schoolers, South Ocean Middle School’s St. Baldrick’s event brought out several first-time shavees to continue the foundation’s longtime mission: fighting childhood cancer.

The event kicked off Thursday night in Patchogue by welcoming its top individual donor, 10-year-old Ryan McGay. Ryan raised $1,160 to honor one of his classmates currently battling cancer. His mother, Jennifer McGay of Greenlawn, said that when Ryan first heard about the event, he knew immediately that he wanted to participate.

“He had no qualms about it,” his mother said. “This was the first year he was more aware and asking about childhood cancer and what causes it — and what we are doing about it.”

Ryan’s excitement caught up to his younger brother, Colin, 8, and so they decided to get their heads shaved together.

But Colin had some jitters leading up to the big moment.

“I think he’s gonna go through with it with because there’s too much pressure now,” McGay said with a laugh. “There are all these people here!”

Colin went first, smiling as his brown locks fell to the floor. Ryan watched from the sidelines and clapped for him once he was done.

“I look like a newborn baby!” Colin laughed. He later cheered for Ryan alongside his parents while he got his head shaved. They excitedly hugged and posed for photos after.

Moments later, Justin Schimmenti stepped up to the barber’s seat. The 30-year-old said he was “cool as a cucumber,” though this would be the first time he shaved his head for St. Baldrick’s, too.

Schimmenti’s fiancee, Vivien Hubert, is an art teacher at South Ocean Middle School. She asked him if he would participate in the event this year, and he happily agreed. Schimmenti said that around this time last year, he shaved his head after making a mistake with a buzzer while cleaning up his haircut.

“So I kind of know what to expect,” he said, “but I’ve never done it in this kind of setting in front of a large crowd. It’s exciting, and it’s for a great cause.”

He grew out his beard for the occasion as well, but wasn’t going to get that shaved off. Schimmenti said he was looking forward to going bald.

“I’ll be able to go outside and not get any tan lines,” he said. “And less maintenance --I can just wake up and go.”

Schimmenti joked around with his fiancee as his head was being shaved, while she stood in front of him and snapped photos on her phone.

His grin was as bright as Ryan McGay’s once all of his hair was gone.

“It’s good to teach the kids about moral responsibility, solidarity,” Schimmenti said. “It’s a good message to send to them and show them that we support each other, because you never know who’s going to be in a tough situation and who’s going to need that help.”