THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 2008
Clean Cut 10-Year-Old Thanks Village For Support
By TOM ROBB
Journal Reporter
Ten-year-old Gino Piscopo returned to address the Elk Grove Village Board for a second time at the invitation of Mayor Craig Johnson Tuesday night. Unlike his last visit, as the mayor expected, this time Piscopo was bald.
Gino shaved his head earlier this month in a fundraising effort for St. Baldrick's, a charity supporting children's cancer research.
Gino said he raised $1,250 in this year's effort and thanked village officials, especially members of the Fraternal Order of Police who donated $250.
Gino shaved his head during a large event on Saturday, Mar. 15 at Patrick Mini Cooper in Schaumburg.
At the Elk Grove Village Board meeting on Tuesday, Mar. 11 Johnson told Gino, "Now, I want to see you back here (at the next village board meeting) two weeks from tonight and I want to see your head shaved."
Gino, at the meeting with his parents Bredna and Frank Piscopo, thanked the village for their help in his cause.
"Without the support of the village my goal would not have been possible," said Gino, addressing the village board.
Gino mentioned Dr. Brian Muska and his wife donated $100 toward the cause.
Johnson said he was proud of Gino's efforts and predicted that Gino could one day be mayor of Elk Grove Village.
Doing some quick math, Johnson figured that Gino would be eligible to run for office in 2017. He said that year Gino should "Come look me up."
Johnson joked with Village Attorney George Knickerbocker that if he did not give a "good" donation the mayor would have his head shaved.
Knickerbocker gave a donation and, after a mock vote by the village board, saved his hair. Johnson thanked Knickerbocker for being a good sport.
Last year, Gino's first year fundraising, he collected $800 in pledges for his head shaving.
Two years ago Gino met Jillian, a four or five-year-old cancer survivor, bald after two years of chemotherapy.
Brenda and father Frank had to explain why Jillian was bald and what cancer is to their young son.
Moved by Jillian's story, Gino set out to raise funds and raise awareness.
By shaving their heads, volunteers for St. Baldrick's show sympathy with cancer survivors whose chemotherapy causes them to lose their hair.