Getting buzzed for children's cancer research

This is one of those stories that make you feel better about humanity. Some days we need stories like that.

Ten years ago, Nick Sotos started a company called iD Additives Inc., a manufacturer of plastic additives in LaGrange, Ill. But something else special happened that year too. He started participating in an organization called that St. Baldrick's Foundation, which raises money for childhood cancer research primarily through head-shaving events.

“It all started by accident, a news story about St. Baldrick's came on while watching TV with my daughters, Carolyn and Veronica, who were 10 and 8 respectively at the time,” Sotos said.

“I mentioned that I should do that, and my daughter Carolyn went to school and told everyone that I was going to shave my head. One thing lead to another and the next thing I knew, I was having my head shaved.”

As a dad with three daughters myself, I can see how that would happen.

“We raised a decent amount of money that first year and every year since. My customers, suppliers and friends have come to expect me to shave my head every year and they fully support our efforts,” Sotos said.

That first year Sotos' goal was $1,000, and it's grown every year. Last year he says he raised about $6,500, so this year's goal was $7,500.

“But I passed that in the first week,” he said. “This year was our 10th year with St. Baldrick's and we absolutely crushed it and raised over $10,000.”

Most years he gets his head shaved at the end of March, and then he grows it back the rest of the year. (You can see by the pictures that he still has a pretty healthy-looking mop). This year, because of NPE, the head shaving was in April — the company had a booth at the Orlando, Fla., show for the first time this year.

St. Baldrick's was a new one on me, but it looks like a good cause. It's interesting how Sotos got involved almost unintentionally, and it's now become a regular part of his life.

Congratulations to Sotos for crushing his goal this year, and thanks for sharing your story.