Lockwood Partners have one of their accountants who is as much the office mascot as one of its number crunchers, with his rather individual appearance in that world of suits.
Kyle Coates has a lot of hair; no, really, a really, really head full of hair.
Which is going to be cut, then shaved for good measure, from his head, at 2pm at the Caledonian Hotel in Hare St (opposite Coles).It might not sound like much, Kyle initially thought so little of it himself he was going to be happy with a lazy $2000 to end up with a nude noggin.
But a burst of publicity in the Riv – print and online – has seen him hit $7000 and it’s still going.
“If we can get to $10,000 by the end of the day it will be an amazing achievement,” Kyle said.
“The response has been much larger than I could have imagined.”
While Kyle might be receiving his first haircut in what feels like a lifetime, he isn’t afraid of losing his luscious locks.
“It will grow back eventually – even though it might be curly,” he joked.
“Cutting my hair is one of the smallest things I can do to help those people who are doing it tough after all the bushfires.”
Individuals and organisations have donated through Kyle’s GoFundMe page in their droves including two $1000 donations from Lockwood Partners and Moama Bowling Club (MBC).
While the Globe Hotel Social Club in Deniliquin chipped in $525 following United teammate Andrew Welsh’s donation of $500.“People deserve to be applauded for their generosity,” Kyle said.
“Any donation is a good one because it is going to go a long way in the coming months to help devastated communities get back on their feet.”
Coates won’t be doing all the fundraising off his own back with the Cal set to donate $2 from every $7 schooner.
The Cal will also give all proceeds from its pub raffles in January to CFA, having already raised more than $800.
“It’s the least we are able to do,” manager Dave Cunningham said.
“We’re honoured to have Kyle choose us as the venue for the cut and it gives us a great opportunity to continue our relationship with Echuca United.
“Carlton United Breweries have also been good enough to donate a keg of Carlton Draught which will help us to donate some more funds.”
Dave will join Kyle by having his head shaved.
If you would like to donate to Kyle’s fund head to gofundme.com/f/kyles-bushfire-fund