The Bravern Hosts Cancer Awareness Fundraiser, With John Howie as First Volunteer to be Shorn Bald

Restaurateur John Howie will be the first to take it all off – his hair that is – during a cancer awareness fundraiser next week at The Bravern in Bellevue.

Howie, the proprietor of at and , will get his head shaved at the in support of breast cancer awareness at 5:30 p.m. July 21.

Each participant can gets his or her head shaved with a donation of $50. To each participant, merchants at The Bravern will give a $25 gift certificate to John Howie Steak, a $25 gift certificate to Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar and a surprise gift from one of the stores in The Bravern, according to the press release. The gifts are available to anyone who gives a $50 donation who doesn't  shave his or her head.

The donations will benefit Team Tomoko, a Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure team named after Tomoko Bryant, a server at the Bellevue Seastar who has been battling late-stage cancer since her diagnosis several months ago, according to a press release.

The Bravern will match donations for women who get their heads shaved at the event.

According to the press release:

"Be bold, be bald!" says John Howie. The follicle-challenged chef/owner of John Howie Restaurants promises that he will be the first to get his head shaved (although there isn´t much left on top to take off, he´s willing to sacrifice it all) on July 21^st at the 5:30 to 7:30 pm head shaving and happy hour event which is a cancer awareness fundraiser. Tomoko Bryant, a server at John’s Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar in Bellevue, was diagnosed with late stage breast cancer several months ago and has been battling it ever since. The evening of Thursday the 21^st, in partnership with John Howie Restaurants, Vovito Caffe & Gelato, Trophy Cupcakes, Neiman Marcus, Red Door Spa and The Shops at The Bravern, the Red Door Spa will be shaving heads for a $50 donation. All of the proceeds will go to Team Tomoko, which will be walking in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure, and combating breast cancer. For women bold enough to lose their locks, The Bravern will match their donation, bringing it up to $100.

Afterwards, while each participant’s head and heart might be feeling lighter, their pockets will be weightier as each donation will be rewarded with discount offers and gift certificates from many of The Bravern merchants. In gratitude every donor will receive a $25 gift certificate to John Howie Steak, a $25 gift Certificate to Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar and a surprise gift from one of the stores in The Bravern. For those who cannot bear to part with their hair, a $50 donation will still entitle them to receive the gift certificates.

“Be Bold, Be Bald” will take place during Sips and Sounds, an outdoor happy hour with live music hosted by The Bravern on Thursday nights during July & August. Terry Evans and the Big City Rollers will be the featured band on the 21^st. That night, 100% of proceeds from each featured Pink Ribbon Cocktail sold will also go to Team Tomoko. The head shaving will be held under a tent in The Bravern arrival court (in the case of rain, it will move into the Red Door Spa).

More information on Team Tomoko and the Be Bald, Be Bold fundraiser may be found at: www.the3day.org/site/TR/2011/SeattleEvent2011?team_id=186934&pg=team&fr_id=1629

-- Information from John Howie Steak

Correction: The original version of this article had the incorrect start time for the event. This article is now correct. The correct time for the event is from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.