Community comes together to raise awareness in the fight against men’s cancer
Grow MANkato hosts Community Shave Down event
NORTH MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - The annual Community Shave Down takes place at Mankato Brewery in North Mankato. Those in attendance watched as people line up to sacrifice their beards and ‘staches to raise awareness and support for the fight against men’s cancer.
“To give back to not just the greater Mankato Community but even beyond that,” owner of Northside Hair Company and Unique Hair and Ink Richmond Clark said. “Sometimes we do not know what we have until we start doing things and when you start doing things and when you start doing something your talents and your time are able to be flourished and it blossoms from there.”
GrowMANkato’s work started in 2012 between two men, testicular cancer survivor, Chris Harstad and Jonathan Zierdt, founder of the Jonathan Zierdt Cancer Fund.
Since then the work has grown to raising over $925,000 to help support those in our region affected by cancer through their Box Love Campaign.
“It shows the passion that these people have in this community and just their ability to raise funds,” Donor Relations and Programs Director, Mankato Area Foundation Maureen Gustafson said. “They just rally behind these wonderful causes and really show a lot of generosity.”
This year’s celebrity ambassador was Tim Tupy who owns the Mankato Brewery and was given a fresh shave. He will be growing out his facial hair until the end of the month before the Grow Mankato Mustache Bash on Nov 30th where he will be shaving his facial hair off again.
“It is important for us to get here, to get excited about men’s health and to get tested, everything we can do and the month of November is a perfect time to do that,” Tupy said.
This year they are hoping to raise $15,000 to the Jonathan Zierdt Cancer Fund.
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