LET’S GROW THIS THING!
Be Part of Mustaches 4 Kids’ 10th Anniversary by Helping Them Raise $600,000 for Area Children’s Charities Donna: So, how does it work? Chris: Growers have to shave their faces completely by the time fundraising starts in November. Then they come to our registration event and begin soliciting donations from friends, family and co-workers. And our sponsors are vital to helping fund M4K, so every dollar goes to the community.
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Lanny: Anyone can be a part of the fun by donating to a grower or coming to one of our restaurant Giveback Days. Come on the day of a Giveback event, and the restaurant will give a portion of the day’s sales directly to M4K.
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ince 2014, local men have been growing cheesy mustaches each November in order to better support the nonprofits serving children in Central Virginia. Now entering its 10th year, Mustaches 4 Kids (M4K) Lynchburg has already raised more than $2 million dollars, and they’re aiming for their biggest year yet with a goal of $600,000 in 2023. HOME Editor Donna Dunn sat down with M4K Founders Chris Boswell and Lanny Duncan to learn more about “Grow-vember” and the difference it makes in our community. Donna: Give me the backstory on how you got here. Chris: I’ve been on the Boys & Girls Club Board for 17 years. It was still a relatively new charity to Lynchburg at the time, and we were trying to raise money. Lanny and I had a friend who ran the Richmond M4K. When I called Lanny about doing M4K here, he instantly said “yes.” The first year was just a few guys, but we raised $34,000 — and it kept growing, even through COVID! Donna: What makes this work? Chris: It’s fun, inclusive and requires a finite amount of time. You’ve got an army of guys raising money for 30 days.
Donna: Are you doing anything different for your 10th anniversary? Chris: We’ve got a lot of new things, starting with our anniversary logo. Lanny: My mom, Joyce Duncan, has made a quilt that we will be selling, along with 10 original mustache-themed paintings by local Lynchburg artists. We’ll also have a merch store for the first time. Donna: M4K is seriously good fun, but for a serious cause, right? Chris: That’s right! We’ve really gotten to know these nonprofits serving kids. We go to their Board meetings. There are big issues these nonprofits are addressing. Just to name one: Park View Community Mission sends backpacks full of food home with about 2,000 children every Friday. That program alone costs $400,000 a year. There are a lot of prevention and intervention organizations in our area doing great, great work. Donna: So you have a big finale each year called the “Stache Bash.” You call it a “cross between a beauty pageant, a dog show, and a police lineup!” What else can you say? Chris: Growers wear costumes, we have contests and the Whiskey Shakes performs. Last year we went into the Bash $10,000 short of our $500,000 goal, but by the end of the night we had $515,000! Each year when the Bash is done, Lanny and I sit down and look at each other and say, “Whew! We made it!”
WANT TO BE A GROWER OR DONOR? Visit M4Klynchburg.org. Listen to 105.9 WLNI for M4K updates and “match days” for your donation to go even further! 84
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