By Tania Phillips
Turning 50 during the Covid lockdown has inspired Connie Taylor of Taylor’s Family Produce to do something for the community and that something is a hair-raising fund-raiser.
Connie started growing her hair during lockdown and will now have it all shaved off so she can donate the hair to charity and then have it shaved further as part of Cut for a Cure for the Leukeamia foundation.
The big shave will be held on the Saturday 28 January from 9.30am out at Taylor Family Produce Farm, Robertson Road, Amiens out on the grass with a morning tea which is open to anyone in the community – anyone who wants to turn up.
Connie said she had been fine with having a milestone birthday during Covid but she thought it was a great opportunity to do something for someone else.
“I though you know what I’ll just grow my hair and that’s how it has all evolved really,” Connie explained.
“My hair is definitely longer than 30 centimetres now – going to say about 40 to 45 be honest.”
Connie, who is now 52 said she has always had so it will have to be straightened before it’s put into pony tails to have the bulk cut off and donated for wigs with the rest of her hair then shaved down.
“I’m hopefully going to have my husband and family come around and all cut pony tails off just to be part of the process,” she said.
“I might even be able to convince one of my children to shave his head as well.”
Emily Gilbert from Ems Studio at Glen Aplin will be doing the cutting on the day.
“We will have a cashbox here on the day but I have posted on social media to my World’s Greatest Shave – how to donate so there’s an event I’ve created on facebook it’s called Cut for A Cure – Connie Taylor.”
Connie said she initially hoped to raise $2,000 and now she is at just under $5,000.
“I’ve had support from all members of the Stanthorpe community and further and wider. It’s been so amazing, it’s just blown me away, the community here is just wonderful, love em,” she chuckled.
“I’m hoping for it to just be buzzcut, I don’t think I can go bald, I don’t want to go bald so I’m thinking a three comb if not a four but something like that. My husband doesn’t want me to cut my hair at all but will support me regardless, my eldest boy John he’s okay either way but my youngest Ryan said I’ll have a shave too mum it will be good.
“If anyone wants to come on the day, they are more than welcome to turn up to come and have their cut and maybe get some more money, they are more than welcome.”
A friend has offered to donate $4k for Connie to go all the way and shave her head but that’s something she’s hoping to avoid.
“The pledge was, from the person who pledged it, that if I raise say $6,000 in my donations he will cover it to $10,000 so I’ve got a guaranteed $10,000,” Connie laughed.
However, she said at the moment the catch was that all of her hair had to go.
“The person who pledged it has been bald for as long as I can remember – 20 plus years possibly and he said to me if you shave your head I’ll give you $2,000,” she explained.
“I never was shaving my head, I was always cutting my hair. I was growing my hair to a length that I could actually have some hair on my head but I’m donating my hair as well. That was my ulterior motive in the beginning – to donate my hair but then someone said why don’t you do Leukemia Shave and I thought yes actually I’m going to be donating my hair and if I can get some money for the Leukemia Foundation and It’s kind of evolved from there.”
