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2- The Oakville Beaver, Friday March 14, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com Student loses ponytail for a good cause By Krissie Rutherford OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Nicholas Mitrenga-Abreu is a frequent visitor to Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children. It was there, at age 9, that the St. Andrew School student, who has high-functioning autism, systemic arthritis and alopecia, decided he wanted to make a difference. "He asked us one time, how come there's so many kids with no hair?" said Nicholas' dad, Roger. "So, we explained. Basically he said he wanted to grow his hair to help these kids." And that's what Nicholas, now 11 years old, has been doing for two years. "I saw it on the news before, too," said the Grade 6 St. Andrew School student. "I said, `Hey, I want to do it too. It looks cool.' So I did it." He waved goodbye to his hair ­ all 12 inches of it ­ last week, a cut with the help of friends and family gathered at school. "They're going to make a wig and they'll put it on somebody's head that needs it," said Nicholas. It's going to Children with Hairloss, a Michigan-based company the provides the wigs or hair bands for free to children with hair loss. "Any of the hair they can't use, they sell in order to make wigs," said Nicholas' mother, Corinne. "There's LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER BEFORE AND AFTER: St. Andrew Grade 6 student Nicholas Mitrenga-Abreu shows off his lengthy hair (left) before getting it cut for a donation to Children with Hairloss. Afterwards (right) he reacts to the feel of his shaved head under the watchful eyes of Child Youth Councillor Jeremy Baron and anti-bullying club members Monica Gable, Alexis Mastromarco and Jenna Vincent. no waste. That's what he wanted, was no waste." Nicholas lost a bit of his hair last May when he was diagnosed with alopecia ­ but he kept growing it, despite the small bald spot. Sporting a t-shirt that read `St. Andrews congratulates Nick on his cut for cancer,' made by fellow students, Nicholas sat in a chair as friends and family formed his hair into ponytails and began cutting. A group of kids peeked into the classroom, mouths open in awe, to watch the process. "You look beautiful, Nick," said his child youth counselor, Jeremy Baron, before buzzing the final bits. "This was a great idea, Nick, cutting your hair for the people," said his best friend, Mills Amaning, who was also looking on. As for how he was feeling, "Great, excited," said Nicholas. The ponytails were packed into a bag, and last Thursday, sent to the organization in Michigan, which often donates its wigs to kids in Ontario. "Oh my god," Nicholas said, smiling, while holding his head. He then ran to the bathroom to check himself out in the mirror. "It's all gone," he said, upon his return. "Touch my head." Nicholas says this won't be the last time he cuts his hair for cancer. "I'll do it again in the future. For now," he said, smiling, "I just want to keep feeling my head." LEATHER at its finest Thieves loot gas station oyster perpetual submariner date in steel and 18kt yellow gold "10 Secrets Everyone Must Know 10 Before Buying Their Next Leather Couch!" 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. World's finest cowhides dyed through (aniline leather) Premium, Kiln-dried, all-hardwood frames. Major frame joints are corner blocked, glued and stapled. Coil-flex platform spring provide extraordinary seating. Outside panels are padded to add softness and support. Seat cushions of high-performance Reflex foam. Back pillows are filled with polyester fiber for comfort. Easy-release clips and rings hold cushions neatly in place. Seams are sewn with bonded nylon and monofilament threads. All the above wrapped up with a LIFETIME WARRANTY. Cash, cigarettes and Red Bull energy drinks were the targets of a group of robbers who held up an Oakville gas station last week. Police said on Thursday, March 6 at around 3:45 a.m. three men entered the Petro Canada, located at 1123 Dorval Dr. One of the men produced a handgun and ordered the clerk to open the register at which point the suspects filled a plastic bag with an undisclosed amount of cash and cigarettes. The suspects also took four cans of Red Bull before they left the store and fled the area on foot moving northbound on Dorval Drive. The clerk was not harmed during the incident. All three suspects are described as white males, approximately 5-foot-6, wearing bandanas over their faces. The first suspect is described as having a medium build, wearing a black baseball cap with white buttons and a dark plaid jacket with light-coloured stripes. The second suspect is described as having a heavy build, wearing a lime green Tshirt and a white baseball cap with the letters `NY' in large black letters on the front. The third suspect also had a heavy build and was wearing a white baseball cap and a white T-shirt. Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers of Halton at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).