World’s Greatest Shave 2007 at ADFA

By MIDN Benson Chian
20 March 2007

The Australian Defence Force Academy hosted the World’s Greatest Shave on 20 March 2007 at the Academy Cadets Mess. This fundraising event for The Leukemia Foundation helps support patients and families living with leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma and related blood disorders.

For this year’s event, many Academy staff members, notably the Deputy Commandant CAPT Peter Murray, came forward to lend a ‘hair’, auctioning their locks to the highest bidder. In return for their donations, bidders were given the opportunity to personally hold the clippers and help volunteers shave their locks.

Sporting a new haircut after the event, CAPT Murray expressed that he was pleased with the response for the event as it demonstrated the cadets’ keen involvement in national community service. He also spoke of the shaving process and mused about the loss of his hair.

“It was an interesting experience. Despite having lost most of my hair, I am still pretty attached to it”.

However, this year’s top accolades are reserved for OFFCDT Nerissa Mocker from 1 Division. Taking up the challenge, the brave first year cadet volunteered her hair and single-handedly raised over five hundred dollars. Despite the surprised looks from many of her peers, Nerissa spoke excitedly after the shaving.

“Defence has always encouraged us to do our bit for charity. When the opportunity to help the Leukemia Foundation came, I was happy to do so by sacrificing my hair.’

Also interviewed with a new bald look was FLTLT Thomas Dunn, Divisional Officer of 7 Division and staff liaison for community service activities at ADFA.

“We were very impressed with the turn-out, especially from the Air Force members of the Academy. Supporters took up the challenge to top last year’s efforts of $2000 – this year our 15 volunteers raised over $3000 for the Leukemia Foundation. It has been a great day for everyone involved”.

This year, the Academy raised a total of over three thousand dollars which will go towards the Leukemia Foundation’s research into cures for blood disorders.

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