Some people credit two Australians with reigniting the “moustache” trend in 2003 to help raise awareness of men’s health during the month of “Movember.” Here in America, we credit the Hill family in Chicago with coining the phrase “No- Shave November.” After they lost their father, Matthew Hill, to colon cancer in 2007, they wanted to raise awareness — and funds — for those battling cancer who lost their hair because of chemotherapy treatments. Whether you prefer to call the growth of hairs on a person’s upper lip a “moustache” or a “mustache,” both have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for charities all over the world.
Following on the coattails of this trend, Mustaches 4 Kids (M4K) America began in 1999. Volunteers who grow facial hair for this organization have raised an astounding $16 million. Longtime friends Chris Boswell and Lanny Duncan joined forces in 2014 to create a local chapter of Mustaches 4 Kids, whose motto proudly declares that “M4K is what happens when absurdity meets philanthropy.” That first year, 32 growers from Lynchburg raised a surprising $34,000 for the Boys and Girls Club just by sporting their mustaches for a mere 30 days and requesting donations.
Boswell, who has served on the board of the Boys and Girls Club since 2006 and who is the co-founder and president of the Lynchburg area M4K, said, “I’m a people person so, I don’t mind asking for money. We needed to figure out a way to raise funds for the Boys and Girls Club, so when we realized we could do it just by growing creepy mustaches, everything kind of fell into place, and now it’s a grand, crazy experiment.”
Now that the Lynchburg chapter recently completed its 11th year, volunteer growers have swelled to over 300, and the list of local charities for children that are sponsored by this cause has climbed to over 35.
“The smallest gift we give is about $5,000, and the largest has been $40,000,” said Boswell. “Our donation amount depends upon the current needs of the organization, along with the amount of participation we have from our month-long initiative. Because M4K has no overhead, 100% of the money that we raise stays local and goes toward children’s charities.”
Wannabe growers register on the M4K website and pay a small fee of $25, which covers the cost of their “merch” worn to declare their participation. The growing season kicks off on the first Wednesday of November, and growers can register in person at a cost of $30. Everyone is provided a webpage on the chapter’s website, which allows donors to directly support their favorite grower.
“You either come with a shaved face, or we shave it off for you,” said Boswell. “Everyone starts from scratch on day one.”
During the 30-day initiative, growers meet up each week to vote for the one who has the “best creepy mustache” or the “best rookie mustache.” On the first Friday in December, it all comes to an end; donations are calculated, and growers attend a mustache-themed costume party.
“At the ‘Stache Bash,’ we give out the Goose Award, the David Garrett Award for best costume, the Gosling Award for best rookie fundraiser of the year, and the Doug Leech Award for the worst stache. It’s so humbling that such a funky, weird idea has taken hold the way it has, and the beneficiary of all of this is the children who are helped by it. We’re having fun, and at the same time, we’re making a huge impact here in Lynchburg.”
Boswell continued. “When we started M4K, we thought there were 15 charities that could use help, but discovered there are about 100. We know that we’re making a difference, and we’re bringing awareness to the needs of children in our community.”
Each year, M4K America publicly recognizes the top 11 growers who raked in the highest donations. Boswell was the top national winner in 2023, and Watt Foster, also from Lynchburg, was the national winner in 2021 and 2022. Boswell, who works full time as a comprehensive financial planner, raised close to $43,000 for M4K in 2023, and over the span of 11 years, has raised more than $200,000.
In November 2024, 300 growers shaved their faces and embarked on another year of fundraising. This time, they set the bar higher at $600,000.
“Whether we’re funding reading programs, athletic programs, or scholarships — we’re proud to support nonprofits that serve thousands of kids in the Lynchburg area.” GN
