On Saturday, June 1 the Buffalo Whiskerinos will once again do what they do best – grow mustaches for charity. Incredibly, the last time that this charitable event was held was in 2015. That surprises me, because I always thought that it was a celebrated event, for a good cause. But apparently, without a dedicated captain at the helm of the ship… well, we know how that goes – running these types of events takes a lot of hard work, which means that there should always be someone onboard, waiting in the wings, to take over the controls.
While it’s a bummer that The Whiskerinos have lost three years of momentum building, the good news is that they are back on track, and ready to get the party started again. The new captains are Jon Claeys and Jim Walsh, who were both former event participants, so they already know some of the ropes. The two say that they are “steadfast in restarting and expanding the competition.”
In 2019, Buffalo Whiskerinos will be teaming up with Lisa Freeman, Executive Director from the Compass House, on the fundraiser side of things.
The event was co-founded by Geoff Schutte ten years ago. In 2014, the Whiskerinos raised over $120,000 for Compass House!
As for the crux of the competition, there are some rules and guidelines, but for the most part it’s all about growing a mustache over the course of a month, meeting up to drink beers, while raising funds for the charity of choice. In this case, the funds will go towards Compass House – a shelter for homeless and runaway youth in Buffalo.
If you have been thinking about growing a mustache for a good cause… or you have been looking for a good reason to grow a mustache, then be sure to reach out to The Whiskerinos via email – buffalowhiskerino1@gmail.com. Donors can also email the group to find out more about supporting the effort. This year’s event will run during the month of May, culminating with the mustache judging on Saturday, June 1. In past years, the judging event seconded as a party called the Stache Bash.
For more information, be sure to visit: buffalo-whiskerino.com
Buffalo Rising will keep you posted as more details on this mustached growing affair come to light.