St. Jude patient inspires clean shaves | Community Spirit

People working at Running Pony Productions know all about close shaves.

Most of them came to television production through the breakneck business of local TV news where the boss wants your latest effort lickety-split, pronto, ASAP.

Just in the nick o' time, ten Running Pony team members decided to shave their heads in honor of a little girl named Ava, daughter of Running Pony staff member Brandon Roten.

The child was diagnosed with a brain tumor on October 22, 2012 and is now a patient at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis.

"It's easy to say we're like a family," said Running Pony Managing Partner Jonathan Epstein," but when something like this happens you have to put your money where your mouth is."

The Running Pony family has supported a fund and a website so that little Ava's family can cover unplanned expenses like travel.

Learn more here.

They're uniting in efforts like the head shaving to offer a sign of unity to Ava and raise awareness of the plight of this one little girl and those similarly afflicted.

Nearly 11,000 people have clicked "like" on a Facebook page entitled "Pray for Ava" that offers photographs and tells the story of Ava's journey step by step.  

Many Running Pony staffers have signed up to run as St. Jude Heroes, appealing for donations for St. Jude as they run one of the events that will be held on Saturday, December 7, 2013 during St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend.

The first thing you notice in the lobby of Running Pony Productions is a wall filled with Emmys and other impressive, gleaming awards.

The freshly minted chrome domes at the television production house proves there are some big hearts that shine even brighter for Ava and her family.