SHELBY — Ryan Nichols gets just one haircut per year.
It’s a sacrifice he makes to donate to St. Baldrick’s cancer charity.
“I really like having short hair,” he laughed.
On March 15, Nichols, 26, will have the charity shave his head at Legends Bar in Shelby.
Three years ago, Nichols got the idea to shave his hair for St. Baldrick’s from a regular at Phoenix Brewery, where he works as a bartender.
“He had come in and brought it to my attention,” Nichols said. “I had never heard of it before. But my hair was a lot longer then and I took way better care of it. It was more of a sacrifice to cut it. I was really giving up something that year.”
That year, Nichols’ mane was long enough to be turned into a wig. Since then however the hair has not reached the necessary eight inches in length.
“Last year was 7 1/2 inches, so I was just short of donating each year,” he said.
Each year, Nichols said he looks forward to cutting his hair.
“It’s such a simple sacrifice for me to just grow my hair and raise money for these kids,” he said. “It’s something that God has given me every day that extends and I am able to give it all away in March. My hair grows pretty fast.”
Donations can be made to St. Baldrick’s in general or directly to Nichols’ campaign.
“The sky’s the limit on this thing. I’ve raised about $2,000 since I began three years ago, and I’d really love to double that,” he said. “It’s really about everybody pitching in — at any amount — it’s all great.”
