By KATH GANNAWAY
KOHA Community Cafe at Yarra Junction was packed on Thursday 25 June, and the main attraction this time wasn’t the fantastic food.
It wasn’t even the fantastic atmosphere.
Ten-year-old Rosie Hellicar’s gigantic gesture of shaving her head to raise funds for Koha was the big drawcard for the night.
Lots of family, friends and community members, many of whom had donated to Rosie’s ‘GoFundMe’ appeal, joined Koha regulars to support the cafe’s littlest volunteer and advocate.
At Koha, customers make a donation, depending on what they can afford, or what they believe their meal is worth.
“Koha is not-for-profit, and we need Koha to stay alive so that the community can get together and everyone has the opportunity for a nice meal,” Rosie wrote.
“Koha Community Cafe is a place where everyone is welcomed to come and enjoy friendly company and good food,” she wrote on the GoFundMe site.
Rosie took up scissors to start the big cut to the chant of “Go Rosie” … “Go Rosie”.
There were lots of encouraging words, and the rustle of bank notes as sister Lily Belle and Mum Nina – both Koha volunteers – finished the haircut, delivering a stunningly impish new style.
A big smile from Rosie brought lots of cheers and a gift of colourful beanies from Koha, and the announcement by Koha co-ordinator Suyin Chan that more than $1500 had been donated, made for even bigger smiles all round.
Rosie said she felt quite comfortable with the new hairstyle.
“It’s quite light and I’m looking forward to wearing all my new beanies,” she said.
“It’s nice that people have come to support me, and I hope for Koha that people also continue to support it.”
Ms Chan said everyone at Koha appreciated Rosie’s fantastic effort.
“It’s a huge thing for a child to do and we’re all enormously proud of her,” she said.
“We’re so proud that she really gets what Koha is about.”
