East Texas man keeps promise to shave head after successful fan drive

Published 5:00 pm Tuesday, July 26, 2022

MARSHALL — A Marshall Hospice of East Texas employee kept his word during the annual Mash Bash blood drive, letting those in attendance shave his head after the business reached the goal for its annual fan drive.

“I promised y’all that if we reached 400 fans then we would shave our heads,” said employee Trey Jackson. “Well, you guys went above and beyond, as usual.”

The community donated 680 fans this year, more than three times as many as the year before.

Marshall Hospice of East Texas owner Brandon White said previously that Jackson volunteered himself alongside White to shave their heads together if the business reached its goal this year.

However, Jackson got sick on the day of the fan delivery, leaving White to shave his head alone. To make up for it, Jackson worked to incorporate the Greater Marshall Chamber of Commerce’s annual Mash Bash blood drive into his plans to shave his head.

Last week, Jackson allowed community members who donated fans, or donated blood to the drive, to shave off some of his hair.

One such community member was Pct. 1 Justice of the Peace John Oswalt, who also promised that if the community donated 150 liters of blood during the drive, he would also shave his head.

“It’s not really a competition, this blood drive, but to us everything is a competition,” Jackson said.

Jackson also thanked Raven Lenz with Black Bird Bathhouse for her help in organizing the drive this year, a project he shared previously with their mutual friend, Tim Huff.

“And the community, too, for its incredible support for this event,” Jackson said. “It was because of y’all we were so successful.”