Senate Resolution No. 5704

BY: Senator PHILLIPS

COMMEMORATING the 9th Annual St. Baldrick's Shave
Off and the 4th Annual Ladies Night, in honor of
Aiden Binkley

WHEREAS, The State of New York takes great pride in helping to
increase awareness and understanding of childhood cancers which affect
citizens across our great State and throughout the nation; and

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize that
the quality and character of life in the communities across New York
State are reflective of the concerned and dedicated efforts of those
organizations, individuals, and events which devote themselves to the
welfare of the community and its citizenry; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commemorate the 9th Annual St. Baldrick's Shave Off and the 4th Annual
Ladies Night, in honor of 11 year-old Aiden Binkley, a resident of
Floral Park, New York, who passed away on December 30, 2010, after
losing his battle with stage 4 rhabdomyosarcoma; Aiden is one of 1,600
St. Baldrick's honored kids; and

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is further proud to recognize the
outstanding efforts of Aiden's Army to raise funds for childhood cancer
research in honor of Aiden Binkley; and

WHEREAS, The St. Baldrick's Shave Off was held on Saturday, April
28, 2018, in the parking lot of Trinity Restaurant in Floral Park, New
York; one of the largest St. Baldrick's events on Long Island to date,
200 people got their heads shaved and $400,000 was raised; and

WHEREAS, The St. Baldrick's Ladies Night was held on Thursday, April
26, 2018, at The Inn at New Hyde Park, New Hyde Park, New York, hosted
by the Wednesday Mother's Club, a local club which has represented the
Floral Park community for 70 years; this favorable event raised
$146,000; and

WHEREAS, More children are lost to cancer in the United States than
any other disease, in fact, more than many other childhood diseases
combined; before they turn 20, about one in 285 children in the United
States will have cancer, and worldwide, a child is diagnosed every two
minutes; and

WHEREAS, Only 4% of United States federal funds for cancer research
is solely dedicated to childhood cancer research; the St. Baldrick's
Foundation was established to fill this gap by providing funding to
research programs worldwide through local fundraising events; and

WHEREAS, St. Baldrick's Foundation is a well-respected national
organization which operates via the local level through neighborhood
head shaving events and "Do What You Want" fundraising initiatives;
nearly half a million shaved heads later, they are still the most
popular fundraiser; and


WHEREAS, Kids with cancer often lose their hair during treatment; as
a "shavee," an individual will shave their head to show their support,
and in the process, inspire friends and family to donate to childhood
cancer research; and

WHEREAS, The remarkable donors and volunteers of St. Baldrick's
Foundation have enabled the organization to fund over $230 million in
childhood cancer research grants which are given to more than 300
institutions throughout the United States; and

WHEREAS, In 2008, Father John O'Farrell at Our Lady of Victory in
Floral Park, New York, asked Bob GaNun to shave his head for kids with
cancer; the next year, Bob and his wife, Tricia, moved the head-shaving
event to the Trinity Restaurant, where it has become an annual occasion
for their village; and

WHEREAS, At the heart of the event is Aiden Binkley, whom Volunteer
Event Organizer Bob GaNun met when Aiden was battling cancer; in
response to the tragic loss of Aiden, his young brothers, Jake and
Devin, formed Aiden's Army in 2011, to inspire kids to shave their heads
for St. Baldrick's Foundation; and

WHEREAS, Aiden's Army is unique due to 90% of those who get their
heads shaved are children; in 2014, St. Baldrick's Ladies Night (SBLN)
was formed when the Wednesday Mother's Club teamed up with Aiden's Army,
and concurrently ran a cupcake sale, raising $1,000 in a few short
hours; four years later, the cupcake sales evolved into an annual St.
Baldrick's Ladies Night Dinner which has raised $200,000 cumulatively;
and

WHEREAS, Today, through the steadfast efforts of Aiden's brothers,
his parents, Lisa and Michael Binkley, and his aunt, Terry Binkley
Paterno who serves as Chairperson of SBLN, Floral Park's annual hometown
shave event continues to honor Aiden's memory and his positive attitude
which has inspired many throughout the last seven years; when Aiden was
diagnosed, he truly believed he got cancer to cure cancer; and

WHEREAS, Since its first shave event, Aiden's Army and SBLN has
raised more than $2,000,000 for cancer research; in 2018, the two
Village of Floral Park events were ranked sixth in the world for
donations raised for the St. Baldrick's Foundation; currently, through
increased childhood cancer research, approximately 90% of kids with the
most common type of cancer will live; and

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is pleased to have the opportunity to
express its highest admiration for Aiden's Army and St. Baldrick's
Foundation, and to wish both organizations continued success in all its
worthy endeavors; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 9th Annual St. Baldrick's Shave Off, and the 4th Annual
Ladies Night, in honor of Aiden Binkley; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Aiden's Army.