Blackfriars greatest shave: $10,000 donation to mary potter foundation

Blackfriars has donated a hair-raising $10,050 to the Mary Potter Foundation.

In the final week of Term 1, the majority of the 2023 Prefect group and several other students took part in Blackfriars Greatest Shave, losing their locks to support people receiving palliative and end-of-life care at North Adelaide’s Mary Potter Hospice.

As well as the student participants, long-serving teacher Peter Sage had his signature beard shaved off, as did Head of House Clancy Page. Learning Enrichment Coordinator Dina Hasaneen had her ponytail chopped off, while ESO and old scholar Antonio Caiazza, whose family connections to the school run deep, also had his head shaved.

_{Teacher Peter Sage is almost unrecognisable without his signature bushy beard.}

The school also welcomed special guest Shane Seiboth, dad of Year 7 student Bailey, whose wife, Tania, spent the final weeks of her life in Mary Potter Hospice.

Head Prefect Reuben Calleja said the Prefect group was humbled by the support of the wider Blackfriars community.

“Early on, we thought we might struggle to hit our initial $7500 fundraising target, so to raise more than $10,000 is amazing,” Reuben said.

“The Mary Potter Foundation is a cause we all feel strongly about and we can’t thank everyone enough for getting behind this initiative.”

*Prefects Harrison Dallimore and Harry Boyd-Turner brave the clippers.*

It is the second time the school has held Blackfriars Greatest Shave. In 2021, Blackfriars raised $6500 for the Mary Potter Foundation.

“We are so humbled by the incredible Blackfriars students and teachers and by the love they have for patients and families receiving palliative and end-of-life care,” the Mary Potter Foundation posted on its Facebook page.

“The Blackfriars Prefects did an incredible job at promoting the event.

“Thank you so much to everyone who took part and made a donation. You are all amazing! There was a wonderful feeling in the school community … and we’re truly grateful to have been part of it.”

Blackfriars is so thankful for the team from Barbery the Craft of a Barber Academy – Australia’s first stand-alone barbering academy – who gave up their time to wield the clippers and the scissors on the day.

Principal David Ruggiero was incredibly proud of the Prefect-led fundraiser.

“As a Catholic school in the Dominican tradition, the pillar of Community is vital,” Mr Ruggiero said. “This is one small way we can help those who do so much to help others.”