Community

PEC employees raise more than $4,000 for St. Baldrick’s Foundation

GIS System Administrator Steven Baca shaves his head to raise funds for children with cancer

03.22.18

When PEC GIS System Administrator Steven Baca’s nephew, Luke, was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma four years ago, Baca began donating money to childhood cancer research. When his family friend’s son, Henry, was diagnosed with it, too, he knew he needed to do more.

Steven Baca before, during and after his head was shaved
PEC GIS System Administrator Steven Baca before, during and after his head was shaved to raise money for children’s cancer research.
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“I wanted to do something bigger than the money I was donating,” Baca said. “Luke’s dad, who’s my brother, was the one that started shaving his head, and even though I wasn’t sure what I was in for, I wanted to do it, too.”

Steven Baca, Terre Espinosa, Veronica Dittert, Tia Owens at fundraising luncheon
(Left to right) Baca, PEC Treasury Analyst Terre Espinosa, PEC Financial Analyst Veronica Dittert and PEC Procurement Specialist 2 Tia Owens at the Technology Center fundraising luncheon March 5.

Baca and his brother joined forces with St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a program in which people pledge to shave their heads to raise funds for kids with cancer. He initially set his sights on raising $3,000 and began asking his friends, family and co-workers to contribute, but he “blew that goal out of the water” with a fundraiser luncheon at our Technology Center on March 5.

“That day alone, I raised more than $800,” Baca said. “I decided to host it as a thank you to everyone that had already donated, but we ended up having a huge turnout and even more donations coming in.”

St. Baldrick’s hosts more than 1,000 head-shaving events around the world at places like pubs, restaurants and schools. On March 10, Baca and his brother joined 190 other participants at the Alamo Beer Company in San Antonio.

Baca and nephew Luke in San Antonio
Baca with his nephew, Luke, at the St. Baldrick’s Foundation event in San Antonio.

“It was pretty exciting and fun,” Baca said. “There were people cheering at us while we got our heads shaved, and even Luke got to help shave his dad’s head, too.”

Baca is still accepting donations and has currently raised $5,375 for childhood cancer research, with 75 percent of those funds coming from the generosity of PEC employees. Luke and Henry are just two of the many children who are battling cancer today, and Baca is thankful for his cooperative family and their support for this cause and many others.

“Everybody at PEC gets involved when there’s a cause,” Baca said. “This money doesn’t just help Luke and Henry; it helps all children that are battling all types of cancer. It’s so great to have our work family be a part of this journey with me.”