Despite complaints from partners, wives and girlfriends, more area firefighters than ever are growing moustaches this year.
Firefighters from three Powell River area departments are joining forces to cultivate ornate facial hair in aid of Movember: Powell River Fire Rescue, Van Anda Fire Department and Malaspina Volunteer Fire Department.
A playful amalgamation of the words moustache and November, Movember is a charitable event held across Canada to raise money and awareness of men’s health issues, such as prostate cancer.
“My wife hates it,” said on-call auxiliary firefighter Scott Hodgins, “but she can’t really complain because it’s all for a good cause.”
Banded together as team Powell River and Area Emergency Services, the firefighters hope to at least double the amount they raised last year.
“We raised just under $5,800 last year,” said team captain and on-call auxiliary firefighter Darryl Jackson. “We were the third highest producing team in Canada.”
To raise money for the cause, firefighters are also selling 2016 calendars with pictures of firefighters and their moustaches, including two female firefighters, Jennifer Salisbury and Leona McCorkell, sporting fake moustaches in support of their male colleagues.
“The calendar came along as a bit of an extra,” said Jackson. “A local photographer, Jennifer Dodd, heard we were growing moustaches and offered to take our pictures.”
Upon seeing how great the moustaches looked, Jackson said with Dodd’s permission they decided to put a calendar together.
A fundraising dinner will be held at 6 pm on Saturday, November 28, at the Beach Gardens Marina and Resort. For more information readers can go to ca.movember.com/team/1953213.
