Chris Hunsley
Northern News Services

Inuvik (July 29/05) - Lots of locks were on the chopping block, Saturday, as some Inuvik RCMP officers and residents were buzzed bald, in an effort to raise money for cancer.

"I'm going fully bald because they're paying by the inch," said Val Tomlinson of the pledges she had collected.

The Inuvik resident let her 30-inch long fiery red braids drop to the floor for donations totalling $500.

First time bald

"I've never gone bald before and this is my first haircut since 1989," she said, explaining she was looking forward to feeling the light rain on her freshly-sheared scalp.

The braids will be used to make wigs for cancer victims.

"I definitely feel lighter now," she said, once the deed was done.

"It's going to be a long time before I have a haircut like that again.

Yearly event

Inuvik officers won't be the only ones showing off gleaming domes, as police from around the territory were expected to take part in the annual event.

"They raised $2,000 in Yellowknife when they had their head shave two weeks ago," said Const. Ben Parry, who organized the fundraiser in Inuvik.

Each detachment chooses its own date. Along with Tomlinson and Parry, constables Tim Fifield, Kevin Perkins, Duane Whitford and Lief Svendsen stopped in at the RCMP mess for a little extra grooming, helping to amass a grand total of $1,085 for the day's work.

"There was no arm twisting at all," Parry said. "Everybody really wanted to do it."