Ian McKenzie, a teacher at Camden-Rockport Middle School, was looking for a cause that would be fun to raise money for. He is, self-admittedly, not the type to run a 5K mile in order to reach a fundraising goal.

“I came across this strange thing called Movember, where men around the world grow mustaches in the month of November to increase awareness for men’s health issues such as diabetes and prostate or testicular cancer,” he said.

Last year, McKenzie recruited several of his colleagues and friends and put together a local team of about a dozen men, calling themselves Mo Bros.

'Some of us are more blessed follicly than others'
-Ian McKenzie

“Nobody really knew why we were all growing these mustaches, but we ended up raising about $1,200,” said McKenzie, officially, the Midcoast United Mo Bros Team Captain. “I think Movember campaign has hit the tipping point. Keith Carson on Channel 6 news is participating in Movember and just last week it was featured on the sitcom, The Office.”

This year, there are about 10 men participating in the Mo Bros and they are at nearly half their goal with about $400 raised. Here’s how it works. Starting on Nov. 1, to the horror of most of the women in their lives, the Mo Bros began the month clean shaven and began to grow facial hair.  As the month progressed, the growing mustaches served to remind people to donate to their cause and to encourage men to make appointments with their doctors to get a check up.

By Nov. 30, all mustaches, no matter how sparse, how scraggly, or how creeper-like, must be at their final stages. (See the accompanying chart to see just how many creative ways there are to grow facial hair.)

On Dec. 1, the Mo Bros will hold an end of Movember party at the Smokestack Grill in Camden, starting at 9 p.m. The entertainment will be “Just Teachers,” which consists of all local mustachioed Midcoast teachers (McKenzie plays keyboards). If folks don’t come with a mustache, face painters will be on hand to paint one for them. They will have a prize for "The Mo That Needs To Go" at the end of the night.

“We’re hoping that this party we throw this Saturday night allows us to get to that $1,000 mark,” said McKenzie. “Money for research and prevention is only part of the cause, but raising the awareness is even more important. Men don’t take care of themselves as well as they should. I’ve known several men who have been through prostate cancer. When we feel bad physically, we tend to muscle through it, so part of this is: tell a man in your life to get checked.”

Hear that ladies? Every time you stare at that raccoon coat on his face, it’s your cue to pick up the phone and make him an appointment for a physical and a check up.

This international Movember movement originally started in New Zealand about a dozen years ago. Together, Movember and its men’s health partners, PCF and the LIVESTRONG  Foundation, work to ensure that Movember funds are supporting a broad range of innovative, world-class programs in the areas of awareness and education, survivorship and research. To date, Movember has raised $93 million worldwide.

 For more information, please visit www.movember.com

Kay Stephens can be reached at kaystephens@penbaypilot.com.