- May 2, 2024
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Ormond Beach resident Bill Fletcher's beard is one of his trademarks.
He's been growing it for over a year, ever since his hair started to grow back following his battle with cancer. And on Saturday, Dec. 12, the owner of Fletcher's Irish Pub will be shaving it off for charity.
The first "Shave for the Brave event" will raise money for the Live Like Cameron Foundation, a Palm Coast-based nonprofit created in the memory of Cameron Fulling, who died just a few days before his 10th birthday in 2017, seven years after he was diagnosed with brain cancer. The foundation provides financial assistance and care packages to families with children that have been diagnosed with cancer.
Fletcher often holds community events and fundraisers at his pub. However, because of his own experience with cancer and the fact he met Cameron before his death, this fundraiser holds special meaning.
“This one I’m taking extremely personal and pushing as hard as I can," Fletcher said.
In October, he celebrated a year of being cancer-free.
The beard-shaving Christmas fundraising event will occur after the Ormond Beach Backyard Highland Games planned for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Ormond Beach Masonic Lodge, located at 270 Kenilworth Ave. Fletcher's team is competing against the highland game participants, who are calling themselves "Clan Kringle."
Fletcher currently has 12 people on his team, including his dad and brother, who Fletcher said would have never grown a beard if it wasn't for a good cause.
On the day of the event, people may donate $100 to have their beard shaved, or join a fundraising team. The participating barbers are Bardon Castaldi of Proper Barber Co. and Aaron Shook of the RustyRazor barbershop.
Participating businesses also donated gift certificates and coupons for the families served by Live Like Cameron.
Putting together a fundraiser during the COVID-19 pandemic hasn't been easy, but Fletcher said they just had to be creative. He'd been wanting to hold an event for the Live Like Cameron foundation for a year, but the previous event had to be canceled due to Hurricane Dorian.
He would never wish any family to go through what his family, and Cameron's family, have gone through because of cancer. So far, they've raised a little bit over half of their $10,000 fundraising goal, and Fletcher is hopeful they will meet their mark in honor of Cameron's legacy.
“Three years later, he’s not forgotten by any means," Fletcher said. "If nothing else, he’s still inspiring and doing what many people three times his age can’t accomplish.”
