The beneficiaries of this year’s 16th annual ‘Joy to be Bald’ are both Maine school teachers and are both battling breast cancer, one of them for the second time. The benefit will be held Sunday, Oct. 5, from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 

Stacey Feyler is a mom of two, residing in Windsor, with a 14-year-old son and a 12-year-old daughter. Feyler is in her 8th year of teaching first grade at Vassalboro Community School. This past spring, Feyler was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. She began undergoing chemotherapy treatments this summer, continuing weekly through the end of October. After chemotherapy, she will be required to have at least 1 but more likely 2 separate surgeries over the winter to remove the cancerous tissue, followed by further treatment.

Tracey McKinney was diagnosed with breast cancer for the first time in 2007. Recently wed at the time, the diagnosis was a shock. She required a total of four surgeries, followed by chemotherapy and radiation treatments, in addition to dealing with many other health issues that were related to treatments as well. McKinney lost her job as she was unable to work for nearly 8 months. Fast forward 18 years and she was dealt another blow with a diagnosis of the same cancer as before. McKinney was not only teaching elementary school in Monroe but was also a business owner. She had double mastectomy surgery in August and cannot work for at least three months, and is again down to one income. She is pending results to see what her next steps are.

Joy to be Bald came about when Joy Mehuren’s lifelong friend, Lori Mayer, decided to hold a benefit for Joy at her restaurant in Liberty in 2010 when Joy was battling lung cancer. Soliciting donations from her Café’s patrons, in a testament to how much both women were loved by their community, it didn’t take long for Mayer to raise a sizeable sum. Overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support at the event, Mehuren made Mayer promise to continue the event annually to support others who battled the dreaded disease. As they say… “The rest is history. “

The benefit begins with the annual Walk-A-Thon at 11 a.m., at the Walker School, Route 220, Liberty, and ending at the Liberty Fire Department, followed by festivities at the Lake St. George Brewery on the corner of Marshall Shore Road, Liberty and Route 3, at 12:30 p.m. There will be a "Chili, Mac & Cheese, and Whoopie Pie Bake Off" judged by attendees, with a Memory Basket Raffle, and Head Shaving wrapping things up between 2 - 3:30 p.m.

"The success and sustainability of Joy to Be Bald can be attributed to the hard work of the organizers and the desire of the past recipients to pay it forward and help someone else. We’d love for you to come join in the fun," said a news release.

To sponsor, donate memory basket raffle items, or join the head shaving or walk-a-thon, please contact Lori’s Café.  207-589-4141. Registration forms are available at Totman’s Enterprises, Belmont, or Lori’s Café.

You can find details on the competition, Walk-a-Thon pledge forms and follow the event on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/joytobebald.

Click below to view posters related to the Joy to Be Bald event.