‘Stache. Pushbroom. Or simply a mo. November has become the official month of the moustache and Movember organizers hope to change the face of men’s health one furry upper lip at a time.
While the growing of ironic facial hair started out with 30 Australian men almost 10 years ago, Movember has turned into a global movement. Last year Mo Bros, men who sprout ‘staches, and Mo Sistas, raised over $125 million globally. Almost $42 million of that total came from Canada. According to the Movember Canada website, about 90 per cent of money raised in Canada went to Canadian men’s health programs and Prostate Cancer Canada. Last year 854,288 men and women registered globally at the Movember website.
Businesses and organizations around Powell River are embracing Movember from the crew of auxiliary firefighters at Powell River Fire Rescue to the crew at Tempco Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Ltd.
Darryl Jackson is an auxiliary firefighter with the fire department and has been organizing the fire hall’s mo team, The Moustache Burners. He said he has seen an increase in numbers of participants from last year. By the end of last November Jackson said there were about 10 men with moustaches, but this year he’s already seen about 16.
“It’s great to see so many guys doing it because it was only a couple of years ago when I first saw it,” said Jackson. “It’s snowballing.” Jackson said he hopes to double the $225 he raised with his team last year.
“What I’ve seen is it’s everywhere,” said Tye Leishman, owner of Tempco. The company is participating again for the third year.
“You see a lot of guys walking down the street who shouldn’t have moustaches,” said Leishman, who was in Victoria last week. “You just know they’re doing it. It’s one of those things you want to participate in because it can make people more aware. All of us, except Colin, recognize that it’s pretty tough to walk around with a moustache,” he said poking fun at Colin Turner, an employee at Tempco who wears a moustache every day. “If we can all support each other by doing this then it’s a good thing.”
Turner wonders why it’s taking Leishman and his co-workers so long to catch up. “They’re just not putting the effort in,” said Turner joking, pointing to his 'stache. “If I can do this, why can’t you guys? I’ve already trimmed it twice since the beginning of the month.”
Last year Leishman and his crew raised about $500 dollars, but this year they’re taking a more laissez-faire approach to donations. Leishman said as more men have become involved in Movember it’s become increasingly difficult to find people who haven’t donated to someone they know and he doesn’t want to put pressure on his customers.
More information about Movember can be found on the campaign’s website. To donate to The Moustache Burners or the Tempco team go to the Movember website and search for their team webpage.
