Brewers are a pretty passionate lot, but they don’t reserve their enthusiasm just for beer. One brewery in New Mexico is challenging fellow brewers to go bald for kids with cancer this Sunday. Beer AND funding lifesaving childhood cancer research — what could be better?
Wayne Martinez, the brewmaster at Red Door Brewery, will be shaving for childhood cancer research. Photo by Gabbi Campos.
Something awesome is brewing at Red Door Brewery in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and it’s not just the beer.
Along with his compatriots on Team Red Door, brewmaster Wayne Martinez will be braving the shave for kids with cancer on Sunday, May 17.
But there’s even more excitement on tap — the brewmaster has challenged other brewers to a bald-off.
“It seemed like a no-brainer, like, why not?” he said. “It’s for a good cause and we definitely like to help. We want to be as involved with the community as we can and this gives us that opportunity.”
Help Team Red Door reach their $5,000 goal — we know they’ll be hoppy you donated! >
Other brewers have already answered the call, plus Red Door taproom manager Chaya Barham.
She was the one who brought up the idea of doing a St. Baldrick’s event, and the brewery owners immediately hopped on board.
Chaya started shaving for St. Baldrick’s back in 2009, when two close friends of hers were going through chemo. One of them was in the front row, watching her brave the shave, and “freaking out,” she said.
It was a small gesture, but her choice to shave meant so much to her friends, and that’s what stuck with Chaya.
“I can choose to part with my hair to show solidarity with people who are going through such a tough battle,” Chaya said. “I think for me after that first year — just seeing how much of an impact it had on people — it’s something that I’ll probably do on and off for the rest of my life, because I don’t see why I wouldn’t do it when I have the option that so many people don’t have.”
Wayne Martinez helped set up the brewery at Red Door before they opened for business. Photo by Gabbi Campos.
Wayne said he’s learned a lot about childhood cancer that he never knew before, thanks to getting involved in the shaving event.
That’s Chaya’s goal — to raise awareness and get the craft brewing scene conquering kids’ cancer one bald head, and perhaps one celebratory post-shave ale, at a time.
“I’m just hoping that we really reach out to a different group of people and get some of the other breweries here in town involved and aware, and hopefully spark some interest in people who probably wouldn’t have known otherwise,” she said.
We’ll raise a glass to that!
Cheer on Team Red Door by helping them reach their $5,000 goal! Contribute to their shave today.
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