La Grange Park Residents Celebrate $100K Raised for St. Baldrick's

The sun was shining on plenty of bald heads on Saturday in La Grange Park, as neighbors and friends came together to celebrate raising a staggering $100,000 for St. Baldrick's Foundation—a charity that funds research in the fight against children's cancer. 

The previous night, at a pre-parade , 225 heads were shaved and 22 ponytails were donated. All in all, the neighborhood group that puts on the Just Irish Enough parade in La Grange Park, has raised over $250,000 for St. Baldrick's in the last four years.

The parade has become a way for the community to come together and do something positive, teacher Josh Thomas said.

"We started a team [at Forest Road] three years ago with 18 kids," Thomas said. "Last year we had 71 kids and this year we had 80 kids participate."

Forest Road students raised a whopping $36,000 this year, and students from raised over $33,000.

"It's a testament to the kids," Thomas said of the amount raised. "It's amazing and really cool to see the kids do this."

At the parade/block party last Saturday on Newberry Avenue in La Grange Park, spirits were high as the sun and pleasant weather were much appreciated after last year's rainy event. Even as they celebrated, neighbors continued to raise money with apparel like hoodies and t-shirts on sale and a whole table to baked goods available for purchase.

, was there as well cooking up hot dogs and sausages on the grill.

"All my purveyors donated [the food], so all the sales are going directly to St. Baldrick's," Jason Korinek said as he manned the grill and passed out dogs. "It's a way to give back to the community that gives to us."

Take a look at our photos, and if you took some, add your own and share them with our readers!