Community Corner
Former Islander Clarke Gillies Shaves Head for Foundation
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Mention the name Clark Gillies to anyone who was a fan of the New York Islanders in the late 1970s to early '80s, and they likely remember his physical appearance as much as his athletic ability. Who doesn't remember pictures of the 6-foot-3-inch player, complete with his full head of hair, beard and mustache, as he skated around the ice holding the Stanley Cup after leading the team in four consecutive wins.
Gillies, now a Greenlawn resident, hasn't had the beard for a while and lost the mustache a year or so ago. On Sunday, he took the clean-shaven look one step further, as he buzzed his hair – all the way down to a zero – in a fundraiser to raise money for The Clark Gillies Foundation, a non-profit corporation developed to help children who are physically or financially handicapped.
The event, "Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow," was held at The Rosewood Inn in Melville, where Gillies was joined by about two-dozen of his friends and acquaintances, who all agreed to lose their hair to help raise money for a good cause.
In addition to benefiting The Clark Gillies Pediatric Unit at Huntington Hospital, funds will also help The Morgan Center, a preschool for children with cancer, and The Ascent School, a school for children with Autism.
"The main goal of today's event is the future building of the Clark Gilles Children's Center, which, once built, will also house The Morgan Center and The Ascent School, allowing both to have the security of a permanent home," Gillies said. "I think it's a good project. I'd like to build a legacy that hopefully will be around for a long time."
Everyone there really enjoyed the day, but not all of the men helping to raise money left the restaurant bald. Six of them opted to pay in order to "not" get shaved. You'll find them listed on the foundations website with the words, "No way am I shaving my head."
News 12 reporter Elisa DiStefano became part of the story when she took a razor to the head of New York Islanders defenseman Bruno Gervais, although stylists from Cactus Academy-Paul Mitchell Partner School shaved most of the guys.
Asked how he was enjoying his new hairstyle, Gillies replied, "It feels great!"
It turns out that it wasn't the first time he made this sacrifice for a good cause. "I shaved it once at my golf outing a few years ago," Gillies explained. "I raised $50,000 shaving my head, and another $10,000 for the moustache."
Gillies added, "We had such a good time today, we may make it an annual event."
Although the final tally has not yet been tabulated, "Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow" is expected to raise about $82,000 for the Clark Gillies Foundation. Donations can still be made on its website.
