Derek Neary
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jun 26/98) - It might take months to grow back, but the reward was greater than expected.

Thirty volunteers who had their heads shaved last Friday raised in excess of $22,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society in less than two weeks.

Bylaw constable Arnie Smith raised half of that total single-handedly.

"Not single-handedly, with the help of the community," Smith noted. "There are a lot of generous people out there."

Smith said he appealed to friends, co-workers, players on the ballfields and business owners.

"I gave my spiel at the businesses ... most chuckled and handed me a cheque," he said.

His 10-year-old son, Tyler, said he'd like to take part if he could settle for a regular haircut.

"But I told him, 'You're not going to get that for free,'" Smith recalled.

Tyler, who had been informed that cancer victims undergoing chemotherapy have no choice but to go bald, decided on the eve of the event to sit next to his dad and get it all buzzed off.

"He's quite proud actually," Smith said. "He calls it his $5,500 haircut."

The event attracted hundreds of spectators and many continued to up the ante in bidding to remove beloved moustaches.

Rosella Stoesz, executive director of the NWT-Alberta branch of the Canadian Cancer Society, said the event has to be considered a smashing success. She said she is extremely impressed with the efforts of the entire crew of shiny noggins, but Smith in particular.

"We're not going to let him get away," she said of his extraordinary fundraising efforts.