TABLE OF CONTENTS. ABOUT SHAVE FOR THE BRAVE 4 History & Purpose 4 Key Terms 5. ABOUT YOUNG ADULT CANCER CANADA 7 Our Programs 7

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2 TABLE OF CONTENTS The Shave for the Brave packed the Avalon Mall on March 10, 2012 as 322 heads went under the clippers in four hours. ABOUT SHAVE FOR THE BRAVE 4 History & Purpose 4 Key Terms 5 Introduction If you are reading this booklet it means you have shown an interest in organizing your own Shave for the Brave fundraising event. BIG THANKS! The purpose of this manual is to put everything you need to know about Head Hunting (organizing a Shave) in one place. This is your Shave life-line. Based on our own best practices and what past Head Hunters have told us of their experiences, this guide will help you with everything from I wonder if I could do this? to What a blast that was! and everything in between. Please see the table of contents for specific sections like promotion, Shave Day, and FAQs. For a better experience, please review the entire manual before jumping in. Organizing a Shave can be easy. We have put this information together to make it that much easier for you. So, read on to learn how to make your Shave a shiny success. ABOUT YOUNG ADULT CANCER CANADA 7 Our Programs 7 YOUR SHAVE 9 Before Your Shave Planning 9 Who, Where, When 9 Stylists 10 Recruiting Shavers 10 Volunteer Team 11 Promotion & Fundraising Ideas 12 Word of Mouth 12 Shave-In-A-Box 12 Traditional Media 13 Social Media 13 Shave Day 13 Registration & Money 13 Pump It Up! 14 Cameras 14 Young Adult Canada Cancer Rep. 14 Toques 15 Speeches & Thank Yous 15 After Your Shave 15 What To Submit To Young Adult Cancer Canada 15 STEP-BY-STEP RECAP & CHECKLIST 17 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 20 Shavers 20 Donors 21

3 ABOUT SHAVE FOR THE BRAVE This section is for your information and for the interest of anyone you talk to about the Shave for the Brave! Here you ll learn about the event and the different ways people can get involved. History & Purpose 2014 marks the 9th Annual Shave for the Brave fundraiser in support of Young Adult Cancer Canada. The event has grown exponentially each year since 2006 and we know 2014 will be no exception with your help! The Shave for the Brave is a series of Community, School, Office and Solo Shave events. It is Young Adult Cancer Canada s biggest fundraiser and provides funds for all of the support programs Young Adult Cancer Canada provides. (You can learn more about Young Adult Cancer Canada and its support programs in the next section.) There are also large symbolic and emotional components to any Shave event. Donating your hair for wigs or shaving your head bald is a big sacrifice and those who participate have a lot invested in the activity. Some do it to support a loved one dealing with cancer, to remember someone they lost to cancer, or simply to help support the cause. By participating in larger Shaves, people get to show the world that they care. The very personal action, combined with a public setting, definitely makes for a unique and unforgettable experience! Becoming bald or wearing a bright yellow Shave for the Brave toque are also very physical ways participants support the Brave young adult survivors and patients dealing with cancer in Canada. Key Terms Shave To qualify as an official Young Adult Cancer Canada Shaver, you must: Donate 10 or more inches of hair for wigs (see page 10 for requirements); Shave your head using a set of clippers with no guard (this leaves about 1/8 inch of hair). We sometimes call this going all the way. or both! All Shavers will receive an official yellow Shave for the Brave toque to keep warm and broadcast their support. (Please note: only Shavers are eligible to receive a toque!) Community Shave A Young Adult Cancer Canada-organized Shave in a public setting. School Shave A Shave that is organized by a Head Hunter (volunteer Shave organizer) within the school and is open to students and teachers of that school. Office Shave A Shave that is organized by a Head Hunter within a workplace and is open to its employees. Solo Shave A private Shave which is held by an individual who would choose not to participate in a public event, held at the participant s chosen date, time, and location. How to Participate The Shave for the Brave has a role for everyone! Here are the main ways participants can get involved: Shaver Someone who makes the supreme sacrifice by donating 10 or more inches of hair or going all the way by shaving their head with a set of clippers with no guard. Shavers register at to create their own fundraising page and update a profile with pictures, messages, and more. They can collect pledges online, track their fundraising totals, and friends and family asking for their support. The registration fee for youth 18 and under is $25; the fee for adults 19 an over is $40. But, you can waive this fee by pledging to raise that much or more in donations. Mane Mama Mane Mamas aren t necessarily mamas. They can be sisters, grandmothers, aunts, and even brothers, dads, and uncles! A Mane Mama is anyone who wants to help support an event, a Shaver, or would like to help with general promotion. Mane Mamas who sign up at will receive support from YACC to help them spread the word. We ll also send tips and ideas on how to help out, including how to help raise pledges for their Shaver. Head Hunter A Head Hunter organizes a Shave in their school or office. It s their job to hunt for some heads to shave. Being a Head Hunter doesn t mean that you have to do all the work yourself. This manual, along with Young Adult Cancer Canada s continued support and your own team of volunteers will make it easy. Our Shave-In-A-Box will also have all the physical elements you will need for your Shave, including posters, Shaver and Mane Mama badges, and toques. (Please note: we do not provide clippers.) And don t forget, Head Hunters can pull double-duty as Shavers! Donor Donors can pledge to a participant or give directly to the Shave for the Brave. The best way to donate is to visit to make a safe, secure online donation with a credit card. Online donors will be receipted by automatically. Otherwise, cash or cheques made out to Young Adult Cancer Canada will be accepted. These donors will receive a manually generated tax receipt upon request within the weeks following the event. Volunteer Technically, all of these roles are done on a volunteer basis. However, other helpers are often needed at the various stages of a Shave. They might do things like put up posters, take registration, and help clean up after it s all over. Those wanting to volunteer should contact their Head Hunter or Young Adult Cancer Canada directly. 4 SHAVE FOR THE BRAVE HEAD HUNTER MANUAL 5

4 ABOUT YOUNG ADULT CANCER CANADA This section is for your information and for the interest of anyone you re talking to about Young Adult Cancer Canada! Here you ll learn about our organization and how we support young adults dealing with cancer in Canada using the funds raised at the Shave for the Brave. Goaltender Retreat Yourself Adventure Our Programs Money raised during the Shave for the Brave goes toward supporting all of Young Adult Cancer Canada s programs for young adults dealing with cancer in Canada. Young Adult Cancer Canada is the only national charity focused on support for this age group. Life is different when you re a young adult. Friends, finances, and fertility take on a whole new meaning than when you re a younger child or further along in life. It just makes sense that cancer is also different when you re a young adult. Young Adult Cancer Canada has developed a number of conferences, workshops, expeditions, and other support resources that we deliver cost-free to the young adults that really need them. These people are the Brave we shave for. Below are just a few of our programs. For more information, visit or contact us. Retreat Yourself A four-day retreat program that brings survivors and supporters from across the country together to share about their trials and triumphs with cancer and to support each other on their healing journey. We Get It A DVD resource for young adults that features interviews with other young adult cancer survivors chatting about all the issues specific to dealing with cancer as a young adult. Retreat Yourself Adventure Experiential outdoor adventure programs that help young adult cancer survivors identify, process, and apply life lessons learned from their cancer journeys Survivor Conference An annual four-day conference where survivors and supporters are empowered to live better, healthier lives and learn how to encourage fellow survivors to do the same. Localife An activity-based support group where young adult cancer survivors and supporters enjoy fun gatherings and connect with their peers. Goaltender An online support tool empowering young adult survivors to set goals and take control of their lives while learning about new research and connecting with their peers. Retreat Yourself Localife We Get It Survivor Conference 6 SHAVE FOR THE BRAVE HEAD HUNTER MANUAL 7

5 YOUR SHAVE Finally, all the details about how to organize your Shave! Please read thoroughly and ask us if you have questions or need help. BEFORE YOUR SHAVE PLANNING Who, Where, When? When you first apply to be a Head Hunter, you should have an idea of when and where you expect your Shave to take place and who and how many you expect to participate. These will be the first details that need to be confirmed when you officially accept the position. Then your Shave-In-A-Box will be on its way! IMPORTANT: Let us know as soon as your date, time, and location are confirmed and we will register your Shave online so that people can start signing up and donating! Who is often determined by your location. For example, if you are a teacher, the who will be any students and teachers at that school who want to participate. You will also want to consider who you want to invite as an audience. Where is often pretty easily selected too, though it needs to be a bit specific: on what floor, in which room, and exactly how will it be set up? When can be the most important, especially if you need to secure volunteer stylists to come and do the shaving (learn more about stylists on page 10). You need to pick the day and the specific time (and duration) your Shave will take place. Other helpful tips: Consider other events that may be happening around your Shave that might impact participation. Make sure your venue is the proper size for the expected number of participants and spectators. Make sure your venue has sufficient electrical outlets, chairs, etc. Stylists These need to be secured almost as soon as your time and location are confirmed. Young Adult Cancer Canada strongly recommends having professionals do the shaving. They will have their own equipment and know how to use it. Please let them know that no guard is to be used, and that donated hair needs to be at least 10 inches, secured at both ends. If you can t find professionals, make sure whoever is using the equipment does so in a safe, capable manner. How do you find stylists? Ask around! You ll be surprised what contacts you might make. A coworker, teacher, parent, or boss might know someone willing to help, or even have the equipment themselves! Check with your hairdresser. People are often willing to help out for a good cause. Contact us if you re having any trouble with this and we ll help you figure it out. We have a template letter you can use to request support from a salon. Other helpful tips: Clippers get hot! Be careful and don t overwork the equipment. It takes approximately four minutes to shave a head. Depending on the number of Shavers, this will help you determine how many stylists/sets of clippers you will need. For an official Young Adult Cancer Canada Shave, no guard is to be used on the clippers. This will leave about 1/8 inch of hair. Hair being donated for wigs should be at least 10 inches long and either braided or in a pony tail secured at both ends. We can accept: highlighted or coloured hair and even hair from previous chemotherapy patients. Sorry, wigs cant be made out of permed, bleached, chemically straightened, or African-American hair. Hair must be clean and dry. Recruiting Shavers In order to host a Shave, you have to have Shavers. While it may make sense that your Shavers would be students in your school or coworkers at your workplace, you also need to think about how you ll get them on board and how many you can handle. One way to recruit Shavers (and donors for that matter!) is to use the posters and other materials provided to you by Young Adult Cancer Canada in your Shave-In-A-Box (more on this later in this section). Talk to and your family, friends, and coworkers; make announcements in your classrooms or offices; and announce it on Facebook, Twitter, and any other social networking sites you use. IMPORTANT: As you recruit Shavers and donors, encourage them to register and fundraise online at It s easy, fun, and we ll give you the list of names and what they have raised before your Shave. For further instructions, see the Registration & Money section. If they can t fundraise online, an offline pledge sheet is available. We will also promote your Shave on and will make an effort to include it in our six-week radio and print advertising campaign beginning in January. Other helpful tips: A little healthy competition can really help ramp up excitement and participation. You d be amazing how far I ll do it if you will can go! You might like to offer prizes or other incentives for the most pledges raised. Put a bounty on someone s head! If there s a prominent person attending your Shave, people might just donate more to make sure that person has to Shave! Sometimes even moustaches go if more is raised. Please make sure you have parental permission for any Shavers under the age of majority. (You don t have to worry about this if they ve signed up online as they will have accepted a waiver.) You can request a sample letter and waiver from YACC. Volunteer Team A Head Hunter should also recruit at least two or three trustworthy volunteers for various tasks before, during, and after your Shave. We ask that the Head Hunter recruits at least one other person to help them on the Head Hunting team. In the case of a student Head Hunter, you must have at least one teacher on board. Young Adult Cancer Canada recommends laying out a simple timeline with responsibilities, no matter how simple, at least a week or two before your event. That way, everything is all set in advance so you re not scrambling on the day of your Shave. You are better safe than sorry! It is better to have more help than you need, than not enough. You never know when a great idea or some other detail might pop up where having a couple of volunteers would make all the difference. Some tasks for your volunteers: Posters: As soon as your Shave is set and you receive your Shave-In-A-Box, your team can help post these in key areas. Preparing hair donations: Hair must be either braided or in a ponytail secured at both ends when donating 10 inches or more for wigs. This will take just a few extra minutes so having at least one person designated to do this, aside from the stylists, can help. Consider wearing gloves for health reasons, but be aware that latex may pull hair. 8 SHAVE FOR THE BRAVE HEAD HUNTER MANUAL 9

6 IMPORTANT: Use a measuring tape to figure out the desired length and place an elastic in the hair at that mark. Braid or put the hair in a ponytail by placing another elastic at the end. Make sure the hair is still a full 10 inches and cut above the first elastic. Also, styling is not included when the braid is cut so Shavers may want to visit their own stylist after the event to shape their new do. Clean up: It is really helpful to have at least one volunteer to sweep up hair, set up and put back chairs before and after the event, etc. Registration: You might need some help collecting pledges, taking names, safe-guarding money, etc. These would be roles to place your most trusted volunteers in. IMPORTANT: It is best to do registration and collect pledges in advance of the event. It makes things both safer and smoother. Please see the Registration & Money section below. PROMOTION & FUNDRAISING IDEAS Word of Mouth Wou d be surprised what this can do! If you tell five people and each of them tells five people, it doesn t take long to ramp up the excitement. Consider talking to your class, your office, calling or ing your family, friends or co-workers, and telling people on the sidewalk, Hey! I bet you d look great bald! Shave-In-A-Box When you decide on the details of your Shave, we will send you a Shave-In-A-Box with everything you will need for the event. Much of it will be sent electronically first, then the physical elements will follow. Some of the items included will help you and your participants to promote your Shave: Posters: We ll provide as many as you can use. Consider posting them in your school, office, community centre, or other local places specific to the venue of your Shave. Shaver and Mane Mama swag: to promote their participation and help collect pledges. Traditional Media Young Adult Cancer Canada will be promoting the Shave for the Brave through a radio, web, and print advertising campaign beginning in January. is the hub for all activity and will be promoted on our organization s website, as well. IMPORTANT: Any media activity such as interviews or any other event coverage must be coordinated by Young Adult Cancer Canada. If someone contacts you, or you would like to contact someone for this purpose, we ask that you please let us know first. Facebook & Other Social Media It is a digital age! As mentioned, participants can post on Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media sites they may use. Even sharing the website, can go a long way. Here, people can also sign up to receive Shave News to receive regular updates about the event. SHAVE DAY By now you ve got your venue and Shavers, you ve done some promotion, you know who your audience will be, and your timeline and volunteer roles are set. Congratulations; you can look forward to an awesome Shave! Here are just a few more details that will help make your Shave Day go smoothly: Registration & Money IMPORTANT: This is the most important part and is much better done in advance of the event so money is safe and things go smoothly. Consider taking registration and pledges the day before or earlier on Shave Day. Online vs. offline: Hopefully, most of your Shavers have registered online. We will send you a master registration sheet with the list of names and pledges right before your event. We will need to know the full name, complete contact information, and amount of physical cheques/cash brought in for each participant not registered online. Registration fees and pledges: There s a required registration fee for each Shaver: $25 for youth 18 and under, and $40 for adults 19 and over. But you can waive this fee by pledging to raise this much or more in donations. IMPORTANT: You will need a safe and secure place to store the money until it is submitted to Young Adult Cancer Canada! There are a few ways money can be submitted as outlined in the After Your Shave section. Cash and cheque pledges must be counted and verified against pledge sheets as they are handed in to you, with any discrepancies clearly marked. This enables us to quickly and accurately process the donations and generate donor tax receipts. Two separate individuals should verify the count in front of each participant. When YACC receives money from you we may ask that it be counted once more and signed off on. Demographics survey: This optional form is included in your Shave-In-A-Box and is really helpful to Young Adult Cancer Canada. The idea is to approach as many participants as possible and just ask them the few key questions outlined on the form such as how did you hear about the Shave, what s your age group, etc. This is a good volunteer role, and can be completed with participants as they wait for their turn to Shave. Pump It Up! Play music to get participants and spectators excited. Some groups have even had a live band or other entertainment as part of the Shave Day program! Cameras You can never have too many pictures or videos! Plus, we d love it if you shared these with us, especially before and after group photos. We ll ask your permission before we use any of these on our website or on any other promotional materials. Please take care not to capture store fronts or any business logos from whom you do not have permission. Young Adult Cancer Canada Representative Whenever possible, Young Adult Cancer Canada loves to send a staff member, volunteer, or other Young Adult Cancer Canada representative to attend your event. This person is there to witness the excitement, say thanks, and speak briefly if you d like them to. They can also take any pledges raised and brought to the event. Let us know if you would like someone to come to your event and we ll do our best to get them there. Toques If a Young Adult Cancer Canada representative attends, they will hand out toques to Shavers as soon as they get off the chair. Otherwise, this will be a good role for yourself or another volunteer. Note: If a Young Adult Cancer Canada rep is attending, they will bring the toques with them. If not, we will send them as soon as you know numbers SHAVE FOR THE BRAVE HEAD HUNTER MANUAL 11

7 IMPORTANT: You can only get an official Shave for the Brave toque after you have shaved or donated 10 inches or more of hair! Speeches & Thank Yous Wou d be surprised what this can do! If you tell five people and each of them tells five people, it doesn t take long to ramp up the excitement. Consider talking An attending Young Adult Cancer Canada representative would be happy to acknowledge anyone who helped make the Shave a success. If a Young Adult Cancer Canada rep isn t available you don t have to talk for long, just a few minutes to let people know how much we all appreciate their time, hair, donations, and help. Please try to cover these main points: Announce the number of Shavers, amount raised, and tell any unique stories. Thank your Shavers, Mane Mamas, volunteers, venue, stylists, etc. Shavers are definitely brave, but the event is called the Shave FOR the Brave. We ve all participated to support the brave young adults dealing with cancer in Canada! (Talk a little about Young Adult Cancer Canada s Support programs if you like found on page 7 of this manual) Thank the major Shave for the Brave sponsors Please contact us for a complete and up-to-date sponsor list. Other helpful tips: Depending on the size and scope of your Shave, you might consider securing a microphone for any talking. AFTER YOUR SHAVE Congratulations; you held a Shave! Now to clean up, wrap up, and talk it up! What to Submit to Young Adult Cancer Canada After any Shave, there are just a few things we need back from you: Money and pledge sheets: o Count and have a second person verify pledges against pledge sheets as they are passed in. Please note any discrepancies clearly. o If a Young Adult Cancer Canada representative is in attendance, they may be able to take away any cash or cheque pledges with them. o If you are near our St. John s, NL office, feel free to drop it off to us. Just call in advance to let us know to expect you. We ll need just a few minutes of your time to count the money and sign a slip saying we ve received it. o It is sometimes the best and easiest option to keep the pledges and submit a cheque* or money order to Young Adult Cancer Canada. Just make sure all money has been counted and verified against pledge sheets first, with any discrepencies clearly marked. IMPORTANT: Donor cheques must be made out to Young Adult Cancer Canada. If your organization is submitting a cheque for the total pledges, keep in mind that any other donor cheques written to Young Adult Cancer Canada should be sent with your cheque, not included in your total 1) Master registration sheet: Complete with submitted cash/cheque amounts for each participant, and complete contact information for anyone not registered online. 2) Hair donations: Hair donations should be ten inches or more and either braided or in a pony tail secured at both ends. See details on page 10. 3) Toques: Please return all leftover toques to Young Adult Cancer Canada. 4) Feedback form: We want to know what you think! How was your Head Hunting experience? How could we have made it better for you? We encourage you to give it some thought and send it along so that we can continue to improve on the Shave for the Brave, ultimately helping more young adults dealing with cancer in Canada. 5) Demographics survey: Again, optional, but helpful! Our mailing address is: Young Adult Cancer Canada Shave for the Brave 18 Argyle Street, Suite 201 St. John s, NL A1A 1V3 (877) STEP-BY-STEP RECAP & CHECKLIST We know that was a lot of information so here are the basics for quick reference. This is not a replacement for the important content in this manual: 1. READ THIS MANUAL! a. Let us know if you have questions 2. Decide & arrange the who, where, and when (p. 9-11) a. WHO includes shavers, audience, stylists, volunteers b. WHERE is the venue, the room, the set-up c. WHEN is the day and the start & end times 3. Give the details to Young Adult Cancer Canada so we can set up the event online a. Then keep regular contact with us. We re here to help! 4. Promote and fundraise (p ) a. Recruit Shavers, Mane Mamas, and donors - encourage online registrations and secure online donations b. Use , Facebook, posters, etc. 5. Plan Shave Day timeline, volunteer roles, and logistics (p ) a. Do you have clippers, music, brooms, etc.? b. Will you want a Young Adult Cancer Canada representative to attend? Will you or someone else speak at all? 6. Thank everyone involved! (p. 15) a. Shavers, donors, volunteers, stylists, etc. b. Young Adult Cancer Canada can provide thank you cards if desired 7. Return all necessary materials to Young Adult Cancer Canada (p.15-16) a. All registration info, pledge forms, pledges, leftover toques, feedback form, hair, donations, etc. b. Please return as soon as possible after your event so we can receipt your donors. 8. Sit back, relax, and give yourself a pat on the back! Your involvement in the Shave for the Brave means that more young adults dealing with cancer in Canada will have access to support programs designed specifically for them. We couldn t do it without you! 9. Think about how you ll participate in next year s Shave! 12 SHAVE FOR THE BRAVE HEAD HUNTER MANUAL 13

8 NOTES 14 SHAVE FOR THE BRAVE HEAD HUNTER MANUAL 15

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10 Frequently Asked Questions SHAVERS How do I register? Online at You can select your location (contact us if it s not there) and you will even have your own profile page where people can make a secure online pledge to you with a credit card! If you do not have online access, contact Young Adult Cancer Canada ( ) for an offline pledge sheet. Do I have to pay to participate? The registration fee is $25 for youth 18 and under and $40 for adults 19 and older. You can also waive your fee by pledging to raise this much or more. How do I collect pledges? Online at Once you register, you ll be able to send s to your family and friends asking them to visit your profile page to make a secure online donation by credit card. Cash and cheque donations can also be entered online, or you may use a paper pledge sheet. Be sure to real all accompanying instructions before using. Do I have to shave bald? An official Young Adult Cancer Canada Shave is done with a set of clippers with no guard. This leaves about 1/8 inch of hair, so, not COMPLETELY bald, but pretty close. Donating 10 or more inches of hair is also considered a Shave! How do I donate my hair? Instead of Shaving, you may want to donate your hair for wigs for cancer patients. Hair must be 10 inches or more, braided or in a pony tail secured at both ends. (For more details see p.10) Unless you arrange otherwise, a Shave for the Brave cut does NOT include any styling afterwards. You may want to visit your hairdresser to jazz up your new do. Where does my hair donation go? We send our hair donations to the Hair for Kids program c/o Continental Hair in Toronto. How do I learn more about the Shave for the Brave or YACC (Young Adult Cancer Canada)? Check us out at and Have an unanswered question? info@shaveforthebrave.ca or give us a call toll-free at DONORS How do I donate? You can make a secure online donation by credit card at Search for a participant or team to sponsor or give directly to Young Adult Cancer Canada. You may also pledge to a participant with a cheque or cash. Cheques must be made payable to Young Adult Cancer Canada. Make sure the participant records your information on their official pledge sheet (or online) so we can receipt you. Where does the money go? Funds raised at the Shave for the Brave allow Young Adult Cancer Canada to provide support programs to young adults dealing with cancer in Canada at no cost to the participant. You can learn more about Young Adult Cancer Canada s Survivor Conference, Retreat Yourself, Goaltender, We Get It, Retreat Yourself Adventure, and more at You might also like to check out our Annual Report in the Organization section of the website to see a breakdown of Young Adult Cancer Canada s finances. Will I get a tax receipt? Young Adult Cancer Canada is a registered charity and provides donor receipts for tax purposes. If you donate online, you will automatically be ed a PDF tax receipt to the address you provide. If you give a cheque or cash, Young Adult Cancer Canada will manually generate receipts for all donations of $20 or more with a complete and clear mailing address, including postal code. Young Adult Cancer Canada will receipt donations of less than $20 at the donors request. Every effort will be made to generate and mail your cash or cheque tax receipt within a few weeks of it being received. We would prefer to tax receipts for your cash and cheque donations so please consider providing your address. This address will only be used by Young Adult Cancer Canada for donor-related reasons. How do I learn more about the Shave for the Brave or Young Adult Cancer Canada (Young Adult Cancer Canada)? Check us out at and info@shaveforthebrave.ca or give us a call toll-free at SHAVE FOR THE BRAVE HEAD HUNTER MANUAL 19

11 THANK YOU FOR HEAD HUNTING FOR THE BRAVE! YOU RE MAKING A DIFFERENCE.