Mansfield Firefighters Join with St. Baldricks for a Cure

The St. Baldrick's drive was a tradition brought over to Mansfield from former Mansfield firefighter John Brunnelli. Since then, it has become the event to celebrate comradery and help find a cure for cancer.

Mansfield Firefighter Ryan Palmieri is now running the event, and says it's a great time and good cause, two things that really go together. 

"It's a good way for everybody to get together," he said. "It's definitely a comradery thing, everybody comes out. They bring their kids, their grand kids; it's just a great time for a great cause."

Thurday, April 12 T.G.I. Fridays is hosting a head shaving drive from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Fridays will also donate 15% of a check (for a person with a flyer) to the St. Baldrick's Foundation. 

"We get a a lot of local unions in the area that help out and get involved as well," Palmieri said. 

The St. Baldrick's Foundation is a volunteer-driven charity committed to funding the most promising research to find cures for childhood cancers and give survivors long and healthy lives.

Recently, the Mansfield events have been focused on a local child who suffered from leukemia. Palmieri said the child is now in remission.

"A lot of us do it, one because it's the right thing, but a lot of us know people that have had children that have dealt with cancer," he said. "We like to continue the tradition [Brunelli] started."

Palmieri said that the Fridays location manager has also been very generous and good to the event.

"They bent over backwards for us," he said.