Iqaluit (Aug 14/06) - Mathieu Beauschesne certainly picked the right time to shave off all his hair.

Beauschesne, known locally in Iqaluit as the friendly Quebecois behind the counter at the post office, lopped off his bushy blond mop late last month to raise money for leukemia care and research in his home province.

For his trouble, he collected more than $1,200 in just three weeks, including an incredible $350 in just two hours of soliciting donations at a local supermarket.

"It's nice to see that people are generous and that my hair is worth so much," Beauschesne said with a sheepish grin.

So he said farewell to his golden locks, with the help of his sister's children wielding the clippers. Just to be safe, Beauschesne finished the job, shaving down to the scalp with a razor, by himself.

Beauschesne was inspired by co-worker Chantal Paquette, who shaved her head for the same cause earlier this summer. The money goes to fund services for kids with leukaemia like massage, psychologist services and home care. Paquette lost a nephew to the disease.

"It's touching," she said of Beauchesne's decision to adopt a chrome dome. "When you talk about sick children everybody feel(s) sorry about that."

Beauchesne said he's thinking about shaving it all off again next year, and maybe adding a twist, like shaving his legs.

In the meantime, Beauschesne is more concerned with regenerating a full head of hair for insulation.

"I have to get ready for winter," he said.