CALUMET CITY | When a close friend of the family died of breast cancer, Jake Belk formed a plan.

"I decided that I was going to grow my hair and donate it for Locks of Love," Belk said.

Four years and 26 inches of hair later, the Thornton Fractional North High School senior joined about 20 others who had their heads shaved Sunday afternoon at Calumet Memorial Post 330.

Belk is a member of the Sons of the American Legion Squadron 330, and he organized the St. Baldrick's Foundation fundraiser to help raise money for children's cancer research.

Annual St. Baldrick's events typically are conducted nationwide near St. Patrick's Day and primarily involve participants who have their heads shaved after collecting money from sponsors to raise funds for the foundation.

Belk was the only participant eligible to donate his hair to Locks of Love, an organization that provides hair pieces for financially disadvantaged young people who lose their hair because of medical conditions or treatments.

"To donate to Locks of Love, it has to be at least 10 inches long, so everybody else is just shaving their head to symbolize how during chemo you lose your hair," Belk said.

Belk's father, Gary Belk, did the honors of cutting off his son's long ponytail as members of the squadron watched in support. The elder Belk volunteered to have his head shaved and also his long beard, which had not been shaved completely since the 1990s. He said he was proud of his son's idea to help others.

Calumet City resident Mike Sawicki is a former squadron commander. He also had his head shaved after being challenged to do so by his 14-year-old son, Joe, who also participated.

Mike Sawicki estimated that just more than $3,000 was raised for St. Baldrick's during the event Sunday.

"It was electrifying to see how many people would come up and want to do this for a good cause," he said. "Some are doing it for personal reasons."

One of those people was 18-year-old Alex Mendoza, a classmate of Belk's at TF North. Mendoza had participated in a similar event two years ago.

"I started doing this pretty much to help cope with my nephew who got diagnosed with it when he was barely 2 years old," Mendoza said. "I think it's a great cause."

Mendoza said his nephew attended Sunday and now is 5 years old and healthy.