Attention all gentlemen: it is time to put your razors away and prepare for the itchiest month of the year — welcome to “No Shave November.”
While some students are excited, others are a little disconcerted. Several aren’t aware of the reasoning behind this rash celebration.
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“No Shave November” is a societal tradition intended to raise awareness and funds to support research for prostate and testicular cancer.
Participating men shave off all facial hair on Nov. 1. Courageously, they allow their mustaches and beards to grow wildly for the remainder of the month.
While doing this gets people talking about the cancer research, there are even more exciting ways to contribute.
“Movember ” is a world-wide organization that encourages participants to form teams in their local communities and raise money during the month of November through a variety of charity events.
Several breweries in Fort Collins participate by offering drink specials throughout the entire month.
Washington’s Sports Bar and Grill, also known as the “Wash Bar” to locals, is one of the bars in town taking part in this year’s “No Shave November.”
“We’re really excited about doing this for charity and men’s health in general,” said Shane Belcher, owner of the Wash Bar. “It’s a disease that affects a lot of people and we are just trying to do our part to help out.”
Wash Bar will be selling t-shirts and offering drink specials all month long.
On Nov. 30, they will be hosting the “Movember Mustache Bash” where there will be live DJ’s, a silent auction and a mustache judging contest.
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Ken Smith, a retired CSU professor diagnosed with prostate cancer, has been working the past year to get the word out about “Movember.”
He is now in charge of 16 different teams in Fort Collins that are participating. Smith’s main target is CSU students.
“I’d like to create awareness on the CSU campus because this kind of cancer hits the college age group the most,” Smith said. “It’s important that they become aware and understand it.”
So far this year, Smith’s teams have raised approximately $1,000 with 100 percent of the profits going to benefit prostate and testicular cancer research.
In 2012, “Movember” raised $21 million in the U.S. through 20,900 participating men.
Kent Schnacke, president of the Interfraternity Council, is one of those participating men who is very involved this year.
“It’s something that we all have in common as men,” Schnacke said. “Breast cancer awareness is really big in our culture and this could be equally big and equally important since it is the other half of the population.”
More information about joining a local team and other events happening during the month can be found at us.movember.com.
Collegian Senior Entertainment Reporter Peyton Garcia can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com.
