By Hayley Gastmeier
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Thirteen-year-old Ceejay Dennes has been given a special exemption to attend classes with green hair.
That’s because he has raised over $1000 for the Cancer Society Wairarapa, just “to help them out”.
Greytown School’s dress-code policy was relaxed for the Year 8 pupil after he told a school assembly he would don a new hair-do if he reached his fundraising target.
“My poppa had terminal brain cancer a few years ago… [After he died] I was quite sad for a month or so. I shaved my hair when he was sick and then I decided to do something different this time,” Ceejay said.
“I put up a few posters around the school and then the head boy and head girl spoke at assembly, I spoke as well [telling the school] that I was raising money for the Cancer Society and I had a goal of $150.”
However, over the past two weeks Ceejay has exceeded his target significantly, raising $1170 through his givealittle page and a school mufti day held fittingly on Daffodil Day.
“I was quite surprised because I didn’t expect to raise as much as I did.”
In 2013 Ceejay drove fundraising effort “Mop Chop for Poppa” in support of his sick grandfather, Neil Smith.
Starting with a $250 goal, the then 10-year-old raised $8500 for the Cancer Society Wairarapa.
Cancer Society Wairarapa treasurer George Murdoch said Ceejay’s efforts were “unbelievable”.
Mr Murdoch was heartened to see the young boy eagerly helping the charity for a second time.
“It’s probably the esteem in which he held his grandfather that keeps him going. And his help helps us go on to do things for other people.”
