Montreal teacher shaves off locks after students raise $26K for Terry Fox Run

A Montrealelementary school teacher who promised to shave her head if students beat a fundraising milestone for the Terry Fox Run honoured her end of the deal Friday.

LaraBelinsky, the physical education teacher atWillingdonElementarySchool in Montreal's Notre-Dame-de-Grce neighbourhood, had promised students that iftheydoubled the school'susual donation from $8,500 to $15,000,she would cut off all her dark, curly hair in front of them.

• Thousands take part in 36th annual Terry Fox Run

What the crowd of students didn't know Friday is that fundraising efforts brought in a grand total of $26,506.70 for cancer research.

"After raising almost double of what I challenged you to and in the years that I've been at Willingdon, we've raisedthree times more than you have ever raised," Belinsky said.

With the help of her students and students from the Laurier McDonald Career Centre, Belinsky danced asher hair was cut off on an outdoor stage,one ponytail at a time.

"Terry Fox taught us so many things but one of my favourite things is that Terry could also focus on what he had, not what the didn't have," she said.

"Please let the Terry Fox dream live in each and every one of you."

Belinsky wasn't the only staff member to make a promise to the students. Oneteacher kissed a turtle, other staff members let students throw a pie at their faces and the school principal belted out karaoke in front of the crowd.