No Shave November Gets Hairy For Charity

Notice any extra scruff around your workplace lately? Don’t worry, you will. In conjunction with the phenomenon known as “No-Shave November,” Warner Music Nashville has organized its second annual beard-tastic benefit for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Participants were required to start the month of November with a clean shave (on Oct. 31) and will let their whiskers grow for the following 30 days. Clean-shaven “before” photos were posted on the event’s Facebook page, and “after” photos will be posted at the end of November. Participants include WMN veeps Chris Stacey, Bob Reeves, and Peter Strickland (essentially the male members of the label’s promo staff), Thompson Square manager Shawn Pennington, UMG veep Damon Moberly, plus numerous other music industry figures and country radio personnel.

(Full disclosure: I too am among the recently de-bearded, and might be able to pass for late twenties for a couple more days. Don’t get used to it.)

The cost to enter was $30, and outside parties can pay an additional $30 to invoke the “Meeker clause” and allow a participant to shave before month’s end. The clause was named for WMN regional George Meeker, who entered last year’s contest as a newlywed and was asked by his wife to shave. An additional $30 is required to trump a request to shave. The benefit’s original fundraising goals of $2500, $5000, and $10,000 have already been smashed, and a new goal of $20,000 is in place.

On Nov. 30, The Moose Music Row grooming lounge will host a Beard Bash, where prizes will be awarded and a “No Shave November Champion” will be named by celebrity judges. “We are really excited to be part of No Shave November and are looking forward to hosing the Beard Bash! It’s going to be awesome!” says Moose Music Row owner April Feenstra.

To show make a donation for the event or on behalf of an individual, visit the event page.