Yellowknife (Apr 26/06) - In the south, a sure sign of spring includes the shearing of sheep.

At the 60th parallel, it is the heads of generous Yellowknifers who get the smooth look for a good cause.

David Das, project director for EBA Consulting, was the first Yellowknifer of the year to have his head shaved for the Cancer Society. He raised $1,000 for the event, held in the EBA office on Thursday. Staff member Kim Banner does the honours with the shaver. - Dorothy Westerman/NNSL photo

David Das, project director for EBA Consulting, has this year's honour of being the first to have his head shaved to benefit the Canadian Cancer Society.

Das raised $1,000 for his head shaving event on April 20, five times more than the average southerner does.

It didn't take any convincing for Das to participate in the head shaving, which took place in his office, amidst colleagues and family. "In everybody's family, there is one person who has been affected by cancer.

"I have a personal reason today - because I lost my mom on this day," Das said.

"Also, for my own company, we have seven core values, one is to improve our communities.

"I think this is the best time to do it and it's for a real cause," Das said of his shaving.

He also had few qualms about having his salt and pepper hair shaved off within mere millimetres from his head.

"I had it done once or twice when I was very young, but the temperature is good, so I don't think I will miss it too much," Das said.

Northerners have been shaving off their hair for cancer for about 10 years now, said Louise Elder-Riordan, revenue developer with the Alberta/NWT Division of the Canadian Cancer Society.

"We look at it as the ultimate sacrifice a fundraiser can make.

"It's a unique way to show a passionate commitment to the cause. It's very visible and the empathy behind it gives you an understanding of what people go through," Elder-Riordan said of those who lose their hair during chemotherapy treatments.

"Last year we had our best year," she said of the popular way to raise funds for cancer.

"Across the NWT, we had 70 participants. They raised $78,500."

The money goes into cancer prevention, advocacy, research, information services and support services, she said.