SAN DIEGO — Carol Kohutek of San Angelo, Texas, raised hundreds of eyebrows at NAFCU's 2008 Annual Conference, standing out with hair dyed shocking neon pink.
Turns out, the board member from $139 million 1st Community FCU underwent the dye job to make good on a challenge she issued as chairwoman of her county's Relay for Life, a major American Cancer Society fundraiser.
"Last year we only raised $167,000, so I issued a challenge to the teams that if they made our dream goal of $200,000, I'll dye my hair pink," Kohutek said.
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At the May 17 event, the group brought in $214,000, and the insurance agency team leader has had pink hair ever since. Aug. 1 is the year's fundraiser cut-off date, so Kohutek issued one final challenge to the 1,500 odd participants: raise $225,000, and she'll shave her head.
Kohutek said her employer is supportive of her pink hair and potential baldness. They even donated the first $500 toward the goal when she told them about it.
"I'm not a pink-hair kind of person normally," Kohutek said with a smile. In response, a bystander asked about a Dallas Cowboy star logo tattoo visible on her lower leg.
"Okay," she said with a laugh, "I'll admit it, I'm pretty dedicated to my causes. I'm a career volunteer. I volunteer for the American Cancer Society, 1st Community, and Big Brothers and Big Sisters."
Kohutek said she was surprised at the response she received from NAFCU conference goers, because many approached her with a sincere compliment on her punk rock 'do.
"For the others, the ones who gave me a strange look and a smile, I just point to the hair and say 'American Cancer Society' and they love it," she said.
Like many ACS volunteers, Kohutek said the disease has personally touched her. Her father died of lung cancer, and she had her own cancer scare five years ago.
"We all have our cancer stories, and that's what the philosophy of the Relay for Life is all about, celebrating the survivors."
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