2 minute read
Helping others
Breannah Mackenzie
Students inspired to help others
A hair cut, organising a high tea or feeding a line-up of hungry students at a sausage sizzle, all these events are inspiring RGS students to better understand the bigger community picture and the challenges many families face.
Year 12 student Hannah Boyce braves the hair cut to proudly raise money for the Cancer Council.
The Ponytail Project, Shave for a Cure, a high tea, Relay for Life fundraising and sausage sizzles have all combined to raise valuable funds for the Cancer Council. The School’s First XIII rugby league team resumed their Shave for a Cure duties before the Confraternity Carnival while students, families and friends have all helped support many fundraising ventures including a High Tea and the Relay for Life. Most recently, RGS Year 12 girls chopped their hair all in the name of raising valuable funds for the Cancer Council’s Ponytail Project. The students raised over $11,000 after they donated “at least” 20cms of their hair to the Cancer Council’s Sustainable Salons which distributes the hair to charities and local wig-makers. The donated hair will be made into wigs for those suffering from medically-induced hairloss conditions such as alopecia and cancer. Cancer Committee chairs, Year 12 students Breannah Mackenzie and Anna Mactaggart were among the 13 students who donated at least 20cm of their hair to the cause. You could not wipe the smile off Breannah Mackenzie’s face during the haircut. “The Ponytail Project is a truly incredible initiative, and I am honoured to have been a part of organising and participating in the event,’’ Breannah said. “The selflessness of the girls, to sacrifice their hair and disregard their self-image for such an amazing cause, was fantastic. I know that I was incredibly inspired and uplifted by the whole process.” Anna said it was a great feeling seeing so many people involved in the Ponytail Project and she hoped the funds will make a “huge difference” for those impacted by cancer. “I’ve always had long hair so it was a very different feeling getting 20cm taken off,’’ Anna said.
“However, I’m happy that it will be donated to someone in need and knowing that I have contributed to such a worthy cause.’’ The girls are now adapting to their new look. Breannah said she was loving her new haircut and she hoped this event will be adopted as a tradition within the RGS community. “The extraordinary, courageous, and brave people that have been affected by cancer, deserve an enormous amount of love, affection and support from all Australians,’’ Breannah said. “We hope, as the RGS senior girls, that we have made a move, big or small, to help those whose lives have been affected as well as created an awareness of cancer within the local community.” The School’s Cancer Committee also hosted a High Tea at the Rockhampton Botanic Gardens earlier this term which also raised over $2000 for the Cancer Council.
