Gary Walsh goes Bald for St. Baldrick’s
Gary Walsh, Regional Service Manager II, rocked a headful of bright, EnerSys®-red hair for the month of March before shaving it off in front of family, friends and on-lookers. He, along with over 20 volunteers local to Romeoville, Illinois, gathered at Metal Monkey Brewing on March 25, 2023, to shave their heads to raise money for lifesaving childhood cancer research.
The money raised went to St. Baldrick’s Foundation, the largest charity funder of children’s cancer research grants. According to St. Baldrick’s, every 2 minutes a child is diagnosed with cancer worldwide, and in the U.S. one in five diagnosed won’t survive. Even for kids who do survive, by the time they’re 50, more than 99% have had a chronic health problem and 96% have experienced severe or life-threatening conditions.
Gary has been shaving his head annually for about a decade, and started when his cousin was diagnosed with leukemia. “My cousin is in remission now, but the toughness and poise she demonstrated throughout the battle was unlike anything I’ve ever seen before,” said Gary. “I wanted to help in any way I could, and this was one of the best ways to do so.”
The brewery, and other local bands and vendors, donated food and music for the fundraiser. Most notably, the brewery created a special collaboration ale with the St. Baldrick’s Foundation – a coffee IPA– which was served at the event. In the future, there are plans to brew a special beer for St. Baldrick’s to be distributed nation-wide with part of the profits from sales going directly to the foundation.
“This event is really special to me and my family,” said Gary. “Me, my wife, and my kids are blessed to be healthy, but not many families have that. It’s important for me to show my kids that we need to give back and help each other in times of need.”
EnerSys aided in the fundraising efforts, donating $2,500 directly to St. Baldrick’s. EnerSys strives to be an empowering employer and we are constantly working to make positive impacts on the communities in which we operate. We’re proud of Gary’s leadership, and his commitment to social responsibility and efforts to make a positive impact on society.
