When Dawn McNamara started volunteering with the St. Baldrick's Foundation, she just wanted to make a difference and help fund pediatric cancer research. Ten years later, the District 124 board of education member and hair stylist is still cutting hair for the annual events, and was recently honored by General Motors' Our Town, Our Heroes program.

Because of her inspirational work with St. Baldrick’s Foundation, McNamara received more than half of the votes cast on DrivingtheMidwest.com. Her nominator Heather Kash wrote, "I first met Dawn when she volunteered for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation 10 years ago. Not only did she give up a day’s work, but she recruited additional hair stylists – all of them volunteering their time. Since then, she has volunteered at multiple St. Baldrick’s events every year to help raise much-needed funds for childhood cancer research. She also spreads the word to everyone at her salon, recruiting others to the cause.”

At a recent foundation event at Southwest Elementary School, McNamara sat in the seat for the first time. “I said if I was still doing this in 10 years, then I’d get my hair cut,” McNamara told Patch. She did so proudly.

Read more about Dawn McNamara's work with the St. Baldrick's foundation in coverage last week.

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