Gavin McCarthy loves the flow of his hockey hair, but he can appreciate helping others out a little more.
The 11-year-old boy will be getting his first haircut in a longtime on April 14 and donating the locks to make wigs for people suffering from cancer.
McCarthy has a lot of hair to give. The Grade 6 Meadowview Public School student can't remember the last time he went to the barber shop. When he decided to grow his hair for a good cause he said, "It was already long enough," to donate it -at least seven inches -and then he waited about another year on top of that.
"I think it's important to do this because there's some people who have had cancer and go through chemotherapy and they lose all their hair," McCarthy said.
McCarthy has been growing his mop out with four other kids on his minor peewee Rideau St. Lawrence Kings hockey team, who are all donating their hair.
The idea to grow the hockey flow came up after one of the Kings, Connor Craig, did it in the past and this time around his teammates decided to join him.
The raising of awareness has gone far outside the arena dressing room for McCarthy. He's been getting his elementary school involved and selling raffle tickets for 50 cents with the winners getting a chance to cut some hair off his head.
When McCarthy sits in the hairdresser's chair he'll be asking for the Carey Price style of cut -his favourite hockey player, who plays goalie like him. Roxanne Cegledi, a stylist from Mint Wellness, has volunteered to give him the new doo.
It's easy to understand why McCarthy is doing what he's doing.
If you ask him if he knows anyone with cancer he recites a fairly hefty list for someone as young as he is.
Both grandparents on his father's side.
His goalie coach's mother. A teammate's mom.
"It encourages me to keep going," McCarthy said after listing the names and giving his motivation for the long locks.
McCarthy keeps the mood light, though, and jokes about growing his hair out for cancer because his dad can't grow his out anymore.
Jane Holski, the principal at Meadowview P.S., is not surprised to see McCarthy's good gesture. He always seems to be finding a way to help out.
Holski's face lights up when she recites some of McCarthy's good deeds around the school.
Treating an autistic boy like anyone else in the class.
Interacting with the younger kids.
And the list could go on.
McCarthy growing his hair out is just something else to add it all.
"He's kind just because," Holski said. "He's especially kind and friendly towards students who are often excluded, so that if he's their friend then that means other people are more accepting of those kids too."
McCarthy plans on letting his flow grow again and he said his next haircut won't be until it's long enough to donate for more wigs.
"I'll do it as many times as I can," McCarthy said.
Or, at least until he can't anymore like his dad.
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