By Cullen Lea
It was Friday night at Banks Channel Pub and Grille in Wrightsville Beach, and things were a little off. The air was thick with aftershave and nearly every man in the building was sporting a furry upper lip. Some of the women glued moustaches on their faces. Patrons wondered if they stumbled into a Burt Reynolds fan convention. Instead they were about to witness the final showdown of Mustaches for Kids Stache Bash.
The growers sacrificed their faces for the month of November to raise awareness for local children’s charities. Essentially walking billboards, they accumulated pledges from family members, coworkers and friends. Participation has grown since Mustaches for Kids’ inception in 2003.
“This has been a great year with around 125 growers,” Mustaches For Kids organizer Adam Keen said. “Ages range from 18 to 66 years old. It’s been a great turnout.”
All of the contenders dressed in wacky costumes: John Daly, pizza maker, hippie, used car salesman and even a hot sauce mascot complete with a cardboard cut-out bottle. Although the excitement was palpable, a lot of men were ready to use their razors again.
“We’ve singlehandedly ruined Christmas card photos for years,” 11-year Mustaches for Kids veteran Chad Harris said. “My mother hasn’t been happy about it for quite some time.”
Harris dressed as a referee and wore a blonde wig to match his mustache. He blew into his whistle, starting the awards ceremony.
The first award for the Saddest Stache went to University of North Carolina Wilmington student Trevor Baker, an undergraduate who helped raise awareness on campus with his own sparsely haired upper lip.
“I honestly wasn’t expecting to win anything tonight,” he said. “I was just here to help out. This is really cool.”
Best Dressed was awarded to Patrick D’Auria, who donned a full pizza maker costume complete with real dough dust. His red shirt read, “Crustache Pizza Company.”
“I feel like a large pizza pie has been lifted off my back,” D’Auria said. “Now I feel like a pie in the sky.”
Salesman Josh Ryan took the Cash Stache trophy for raising the most money for his mustache. Ryan accumulated more than $2,000 in pledges for Mustaches for Kids.
“I didn’t expect to win, but this is a blessing,” Ryan said. “I had a lot of pledges come to me in the end.”
The Silver Fox award went to Jeep St. Ledger, while the prize for the Push Broom was given to Robert Ray. Newcomer Ryan Stegman appropriately won Rookie of the Year.
“I’m happy to raise money for the kids,” Stegman said. “This is a fun and rewarding charity.”
Finally, the grand prize of Stash Master was bestowed to one of Mustaches for Kids’ founders, Ryan McInnis. McInnis was away on business, but his wife Meredith Swain McInnis was proud to accept the award on his behalf.
“I’m so proud of everyone who has taken part and how Ryan has been going strong for the month,” she said. “The contributions have been fantastic and the growing numbers are inspiring.”
For 11 years, the nonprofit Mustaches For Kids has donated all earnings directly to children’s charities, which include the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Brigade Boys and Girls Club, Hope From Helen and others. Since its inception, Mustaches For Kids has garnered more than $300,000 with 2014 being its most profitable yet with an estimated $40,000 raised.
Keen and Harris attributed the growth of the nonprofit to both social media and students at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
“We’re like a hairy brotherhood,” Harris said. “I see the guys after we’re done and they look odd without their mustaches.”
Locals are supportive and laugh at the spectacle.
“I think it’s fantastic that they support local charities,” Live Oak Bank employee Cameron Pappas said. “I honestly wish I could grow a mustache.”
Even the women of Wrightsville Beach seemed to consent to questionable facial hair for a good cause.
“I think it’s great that these guys are willing to contribute their faces for local charities,” Quality Health officer Hunter Crumpton said. “This is a wonderful community.”
