July 1, 2009
 
GHS staff, students raise money for cancer patient

By DANNY DECONINCK

GOFFSTOWN - The Goffstown community came together recently in support of 17-year-old Shayne Pouget. Pouget was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Disease in September 2008 and has struggled with his condition ever since.

Luna Salon in Goffstown sponsored an event to help the Pouget family, and held the “Three Shears for Shayne” fundraiser on June 6, Goffstown’s Old Home Day.

In the weeks leading up to the event, the Goffstown High School staff and student body built hype and collected donations. Two staff members, Monica Galamaga and Melanie Beauchemin, challenged the high school students to donate spare change or bills to help the cause.

“Mrs. Beauchemin and I jumped on board and said if we could each raise $1,000, we would shave our heads,” said Galamaga. “Much to our surThree prise, money came in and we both raised over $1,000 within a two-week period.”

As enthusiastic and devoted as Galamaga and Beauchemin were, they were not the only ones dedicated to the cause. GHS teachers Ryan Fitzpatrick, Samuel Perron, Timothy Westphal, Josh Lewis and Peter Galamaga all raised money for Shayne’s cause and had heads shaved as well.

“I wanted to support Shayne,” said Perron when asked what prompted his willingness to experience the buzz cut. “He’s almost my neighbor, and he’s from California, so they don’t have any family here to help out. I talked to him a lot last year and he’s a great kid. I wanted him to know people are thinking of him.”

“Shayne is a great kid and a fighter, and it’s important that he knows there are people outside his immediate family that care about him and who want to show their support any way they can,” said Lewis, “Everyone from friends, family, teachers (and their families) and students shaved their heads for Shayne … that’s the kind of support we offer to our own here at GHS.”

Jack Carbonneau, who coaches Pouget in soccer at the high school, provided one of the most awe-inspiring moments of the day when he waltzed into Luna Salon around 10:30 a.m. Carbonneau, as the story has been told, had not shaved his beard or cut his hair since his own high school prom, well over 20 years ago. Therefore when he strode up and down Main Street telling people he would be chopping his locks off if he received donations, the money came in rapidly. Carbonneau’s original goal was to raise $500, but he exceeded his own expectations and came up with $1,000 over the course of the day.

Bri Nelson was the only female student from Goffstown High School to shave her head, and she was joined by several of her male classmates.

Nelson donated her hair to “Locks of Love” to help disadvantaged children suffering from long-term medical illnesses.

Mike Jutras, one of Shayne’s first friends from New Hampshire, personally raised $250 for the cause, and he too shaved off his characteristically long hair.

“I’d really like to thank everyone in my immediate family and all my friends and their family for helping out with the Shaving for Shayne event,” Pouget wrote in his online journal the day after the event. “I wish I could’ve been down there to thank everyone personally, but I feel everyone did a great job.”

Today, Shayne’s condition is showing signs of improvement.

On Tuesday, June 23, he was released from the hospital and returned home to be with his family. Though he still faces a long road to recovery, the Pougets are optimistic that he’s headed in the right direction.