The annual ice cream social at the Sherburne History Center has long been a popular event in the week-long Freedom Days celebration in Becker. The 2014 version attracted a larger-than-normal crowd Tuesday night, many of whom were there to witness a unique act of devotion by SHC Exec. dir, Mike Brubaker, who really “took one for the team” in honor of a fund-raising challenge bet he had made.
In an effort to kick-start the May fund-raising program at SHC, Brubaker, as had been noted earlier, had challenged the community to join together and raise $4,000 for the center. If they did so, Brubaker vowed to have his head shaved publicly. The fund-raising was “down-to-the-wire” in terms of making the final goal, organizers said, but some late donations carried the effort over the $4,000 mark on the last day of the drive, and the fate of Brubaker’s locks was sealed.
After SHC volunteers had passed out free ice cream to young and old alike, the audience and Brubaker adjourned to the outdoor plaza where he prepared to fulfill his promise. No one in the crowd rose to Brubaker’s challenge to take up the trimmers themselves by donating an additional $100, leaving the task to Sarah Riedeman of Clear Lake, the salon manager at Fantastic Sam’s in Becker.
After seating the director and placing the ceremonial apron over him, Riedeman quickly and efficiently provided a scalp-revealing full-contact haircut, much to the delight of the crowd, which saw many of the older folks injecting a steady stream of good-natured “Kojack” and “Uncle Fester” (famous bald-headed TV personalities of a bygone age) comments during the process.
His exfoliation complete, Brubaker mingled with the audience members as the musical group TeddyBearSkin set up and began performing. The talented duo kept a good-sized group of kids of all ages out on the plaza for their set, despite a healthy crop of mosquitoes that also attended the event.
