
Fr. Adam Laski’s hair is shaved by Donna Gagner, SJS parent and local beautician. (Submitted photo)
During Catholic Schools Week, the eighth-grade class at St. Joseph School, Rice Lake, set a goal to collect $5,000 and 1,000 items for the ministries at Heart Island, a local shelter. Fr. Adam Laski challenged the students to raise the stakes: If they could collect $6,000 and 1,200 items, he would allow them to shave his beard and head.
The students exceeded their goal. By the end of Catholic Schools Week, they had raised a $6,927.26 and collected 1,269 items. Each day, students brought in donations, which were tallied by grade level. The grade with the highest contribution would earn a pizza and/or ice cream party.
The eighth-grade class led the school in both monetary and item donations. They chose to share their reward with the second-place classes; the fifth grade will join them for a pizza party, while the sixth grade will celebrate with an ice cream party. The fundraiser culminated in an all-school assembly on Feb. 14, when Fr. Laski had his beard and head shaved with the assistance of one of the school’s parents and local hairstylist, Donna Gagner.