A number of student mustaches will be shaved Monday night as Mustache-November, or Movember, comes to a close. Among the participating men are representatives of the Associated Students of USU and members of the Latter-day Voices Institute Choir.

“Movember (the month formerly known as November) is a mustache-growing charity event held during November each year that raises funds and awareness for men’s health,” according to the Movember Web site. The Movember Foundation is run by donations and raises money for the study of treatments and cures for men’s cancers, specifically prostate and testicular. According to the site, money raised in the U.S. this year will be split between the Prostate Cancer Foundation and the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

“It’s a global phenomenon,” said Rick Kelly, ASUSU vice president of graduate studies.

Movember began at USU largely due to Kelly’s efforts. His interest was perked, he said, when he read on Lance Armstrong’s Twitter that the multiple Tour de France winning cyclist mentioned growing a mustache for Movember. Kelly looked into Movember, ordered a package of promotional materials and campaigned for support.

“I’m against cancer, and I’m for mustaches, so it was a win-win,” Kelly said.

With Kelly’s encouragement, other ASUSU officers – including President Tyler Tolson, Executive Vice President Spencer Lee and Academic Senate President Ben Croshaw – followed suit by growing mustaches and encouraging other students to participate. Kelly suspects some 60-70 students have grown facial hair to support the cause.

Lee said he had never grown facial hair for more than a few days before Movember, and it took around two weeks for anyone to notice that he hadn’t shaved.

“I wasn’t getting any love,” Lee said.

Kelly said, “Spencer Lee is the most committed mustache-grower because his is, by far, the ugliest. The sacrifice he’s making is phenomenal.”

Without an abundance of facial-hair growth, Lee said he received jabs from ecclesiastical leaders, relatives and acquaintances throughout the month. Facing ridicule, Lee said he would wait until “the bitter end” before shaving to support the cause.

“It’s been terrible. I cannot wait for Dec. 1,” Lee said.

Lee said he was able to direct a number of people to the Movember Web site and convince a few students to grow mustaches of their own.

Tolson said he has gone through a number of varieties of style throughout the month. He began with a “fu manchu,” which he then reduced to merely the “fu” but still didn’t feel confident about.

“I still didn’t feel like I could talk to any girls,” Tolson said.

Beyond the sphere of student government, Kelly was able to recruit a member of Latter-day Voices, who in turn suggested the initiative to the remainder of the choir. About three quarters of the 25 males in the choir have grown mustaches, although “you can’t see half of them,” said Nyles Salmond, choir director and institute instructor.

“It’s been great, and they’ve had a great time doing it,” Salmond said. “I think it’s a great cause.”

Latter-day Voices have had performances during the month of Movember, and although the members of the choir are normally encouraged to be clean shaven, Salmond said they were happy to make the exception this month.

Kelly said the visibility of a mustache helps stimulate a conversation about the cause.

“If we all shaved our chest hair into weird patterns, nobody would know,” Kelly said.

Tolson agreed, saying, “It’s cool because it’s a different way to get the word out.”

While it succeeds in generating attention and a few laughs, Kelly feels strongly about what the Movember Foundation is trying to accomplish, and the awareness that it raises about men’s health.

“I think it’s funny, but at the same time it’s a serious subject,” Kelly said. “People learn about the effect that testicular and prostate cancer have.”

According to the Movember Web site, the foundation has raised $47 million to date, globally, making it the world’s largest men’s charity event. For more information visit www.movember.com.

– b.c.wood@aggiemail.usu.edu