The third annual Runway Hair Show of the Shore Beauty School June 29 at the Walk in Atlantic City raised funds for the South Jersey Cancer Fund through the Kids for South Jersey Cancer Fund. More than $9,000 was made by the school to support the fundraising efforts of the Kids for South Jersey Cancer Fund. This is triple the amount raised at last year’s hair show, making this Shore Beauty School's most successful hair show yet.

The Beauty School's fundraising committee had found out about the youth group's efforts online, making the youth group very happy that it had created a YouTube video and posted it on their Firstgiving site at www.firstgiving.com/brigantine. They were especially thankful that they had the foresight to ask the adult group that they shadow to put a link on their website that would bring people to the youth group's fundraising page from www.southjerseycancerfund.org. It was through this link that the Shore Beauty School staff learned of the youth efforts to support the South Jersey Cancer Fund and decided to help them to reach their goal of raising $25,000 by 2014 for the cause.

Well, help they did. Beauty School staff and students helped the youth surpass the on-going fundraising goal they set since the youth group formed to support the 47-year old South Jersey Cancer Fund und just a little over three years ago. With the hefty donation from the Shore Beauty School through their group, the total raised for the cause through Kids for South Jersey Cancer Fund is now more than $26,000. The youth are so happy that they have inspired adults to get involved to help this cause.

This effort on the part of the Shore Beauty School's students and staff has prompted the youth group to increase its efforts. The members believe so much in this cause that they are thinking about raising their goal to $40,000 by 2014. They are only $14,000 away from reaching their new goal.

This is not an unrealistic goal for the youth. The kids have raised almost $18,000 in just three years through a variety of fundraising efforts listed on their website, including engaging schools in the region in conducting staff dress-down days, connecting with the Brigantine Elks and doing carnival events such as face painting, contacting local businesses and asking them to do dress-down days, and by getting sponsorships for events run by the adult group and volunteering to help events such as the Leprechaun Leap and the Stephanie Burke Beach Run.

The youth continue to be committed to helping cancer patients in the region and are hoping to gain the support of other businesses in the region who wish to team up and fund raise.

The great thing about donating through the South Jersey Cancer Fund as compared to one of the larger organizations is that 95 percent of funds raised go directly to helping patients. (Other larger organizations have such high overhead costs that much less goes directly to patient needs.) Also, the S.J.C.F. is an all-volunteer organization that raises funds to provide financial assistance for cancer patients and their families in the Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland counties. It is a totally independent charity; they are not affiliated with the American Cancer Society or any other charity. The South Jersey Cancer Fund is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization under the Internal Revenue Code. Any contributions made to the organization are tax-deductible.

The youth group has been trying to educate the public and raise awareness of what the South Jersey Cancer Fund is and all it can do. Any businesses or schools interested in assisting them to raise funds should contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Youth interested in receiving a Chill out for S.J.C.F. grant to run a drink stand this summer to join the Kids for S.J.C.F. by raising funds for the cause should call (609) 266-4119. Grants are still available. Any cancer patients seeking assistance from the South Jersey Cancer Fund should contact them directly at (609) 266-0616.