CANSA Shavathon 2020. What An Event!
Unfortunately we’re a few days late on this one; the official CANSA Shavathon/ Sprayathon week was actually last week. But owing to our annual open day being held over the past weekend, the week...
Unfortunately we’re a few days late on this one; the official CANSA Shavathon/ Sprayathon week was actually last week. But owing to our annual open day being held over the past weekend, the week leading up to it was really really ridiculously busy. So we didn’t manage to squeeze in our previously scheduled Shavathon/Sprayathon. But, what we lost on the ‘days-a-bout’, we gained on the ‘shaves’ (and the sprays). Side note: Kids, that’s a play on the old saying ‘what you lose on the swings, you gain on the roundabouts’. What does it mean you ask? It means: Go ask your English teacher.
This year was the highest return we’ve had in the shaves department since we began our annual shavathon back in 2014 – 14 heads in total! Over the years the event has grown in both support and popularity, and who would’ve guessed that our Executive Head, Mr D Preddy, would go under the razor this time around? Not us. No sirree. We literally had no idea. The big boss is just full of surprises. And what an absolute surprise that was! And what an absolute lad he was because he kicked off a plethora (an excessive amount) of head-shaving and spraying (well, a plethora relative to BESA).
So, Mr Preddy went first. Thereafter, Li’l Mo (Mohammed) and Li’l Vokes (Timothy) while standing around viewing the spectacle, must’ve thought to themselves, ‘well this looks like a grand old time and a free hair cut’. So they got stuck in for a ‘chop’ alongside Ruan and Benjamin. All the while, Little-Big-Medium-DT (Luke) was looking more than impressed with what he was seeing and was chomping-at-the-bit to join in. “But Sir, I didn’t bring any money along”, he said. “That’s okay Little-Big-Medium-DT.” came the reply, “If you’re keen on the cause, shave now, pay later.” And so he did. Whereafter he made his way over to the spraying booths for a custom spray job – the ‘brand-new-tennis-ball’ we believe was the look he asked for; lumo-green with white stripes. He got it. As did Ruan. As did Schaffy (Dieter you biscuit!). As did Timothy.
And then. Enter Tshia (who lost a bet to Mr Khan – something to do with football, a liver, a pool, a man, and a city. Who knows?). Enter ‘Big Fosh’ (Josh Fermor). Enter Mr Loukakis, who we’re pretty sure succumbed to peer-pressure from Theo and Lee, who entered the fray fairly late to get the much worrisome ‘number one‘. All five went under the blades. All five expected the ‘number one‘. Four got it. One didn’t. To Theo’s utter dismay, by complete mistake he was given the ‘zero‘. The dreaded zero. Yip. Unfortunately the person doing the shaving (not mentioning any names here, *cough-cough*, Laken) forgot to put the shaving shield on. Yip, it was nothing but blade. Nothing but zero. Nothing but ‘why would you do such a thing?’. Nah, we’re just playing. Theo was understandably shocked but took the honest mistake like a beast, “It’s all good and in the name of cancer”, he said. What a champ!
And then. Annnnd then. Enter Yauvani, Tyla-Jane and Kristyn. These three absolutely amazing ladies (with tears in their eyes and bravery in their hearts) generously went ‘under the scissors’ to donate their ponytails which will be made into wigs for those who have lost their hair in the battle against cancer. Phenomenal!
And then. Aaaaannnnnnnnnddddd then. Are you stting down for this? Enter Amy Hayton. Amy shaved her head last year. And Amy shaved her head again this year! Just let that sink in for a moment. Amy. Shaved. Her. Head. For. A. Second. Year. In. A. Row! We’re speechless! What an awe-inspiring young lady. Human-being goals right there!
Last but not least, the final learner to go under the chop for the day was Jaydee Setaro, who had visibly been mulling over the whole ‘should I shave my head and donate my ponytail to cancer?’ thing all day. Perhaps her decision may have been solidified by not only the brilliance of Amy, but also the brilliance of Cam (Cameron Lindhout) – who, as a boy, arguably had the best set of locks our school has ever seen. No seriously – amazing! Anywho (yes it’s a word now), both flippen awesome peeps gave up their luscious hair in the name of such a worthy cause. Absolute legends! (PS – are we allowed to say flippen?)
Not forgetting those who sprayed however, there must have been upwards of 50 heads that ‘got-it-did’ colour style featuring all kinds of designs from the ‘brand-new-tennis-ball’, to the ‘the England’, the ‘Harley Quinn’, the ‘traffic cone’ and the ‘silver fox‘; which if we’re not mistaken was made popular by Meneer Jacobs?
At the end of the day though (pun intended), it’s not just about raising funds, it’s about creating awareness, being reminded of how fortunate we are and how important it is to look outside ourselves, lose ourselves in an experience, and give back to the community. BESA Bears!
And finally, we leave you with this quote:
“You get a brand-new-tennis-ball-spray-job. You get a brand-new-tennis-ball-spray-job. Everyone gets a brand-new-tennis-ball-spray-job!” – Oprah Winfrey
Side note: absolutely no Oprahs were consulted on this event, nor is this quote legitimate in any way.
Mr C Preddy
