College World Series champions lose hair to support Camp Kemo, a weeklong summer camp for children, teens with cancer
Members of the baseball team were shaved completely bald on Greene Street Wednesday afternoon to raise money for Camp Kemo, a weeklong summer camp for cancer patients ages 5 to 18 and their siblings.
The camp is completely funded by community donations.
"I don't have to wake up and take a shower anymore and do my hair," said Bryan Harper, a pitcher and third-year sociology student.
Michael Roth, the ace of the USC pitching staff and a third-year international business and marketing student, said he decided to shave his head after a friend tweeted at him that they needed baseball players to shave their heads on Greene Street.
"At first I was like, 'Ain't gonna happen; I ain't doin' it,' " Roth said. "I read 'Gamecock Glory' and just thinking about the whole Bayler Teal story from last year really hit home for me and led me to do this."
By shaving their heads, the baseball players plan to raise awareness both about Camp Kemo itself and "Sip, Shout and Shag," an event being held April 14 at the National Guard Armory with the goal of raising $50,000 for the camp.
Currently, $20,000 has been raised, said Annette Hoover, an adjunct School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management professor.
Nelson Lacey, a member of the board of directors for Camp Kemo, described the event as "fantastic."
"The whole thing is about youth; you have the youth of the Carolina baseball team, which is certainly a main attraction, supporting youth who are fighting a battle of cancer," Lacey said.
Roth said that his head felt a lot cooler after it had been shaved.
"Hair grows back, so I'm not really worried about it," he said.
Miss Columbia Caroline Trawick also attended the event and helped shave the players' heads.
The event hit home for her because her brother attended Camp Kemo when he was younger. She said her brother was given less than a one percent chance of living. Today, he is 26 and a college graduate.
"It just kind of gave him the childhood he didn't really get to have, so I know the benefits of Camp Kemo," said Trawick, a third-year fashion merchandising and retail student.
"I really know what it does for the community," Trawick continued. "I just love the organization. It's nonprofit; everyone is volunteer. It's an amazing week, I go every summer and it's just an amazing camp, an amazing thing to be a part of."