What ended as a $500 donation to the American World Adoption Agency began with one man's affinity for his facial hair.
In a furry display of masculinity, Ben Burchardi, a UF building and construction senior, and a few friends have been growing out their facial hair since Nov. 1.
Burchardi said he was hanging out with some friends from The Navigators, a Christian campus ministry he helped found, when he pitched the idea of growing beards for "No-Shave November," a month-long pledge to not shave.
The month traces its beginnings to "Movember," a similar movement that started in Australia in which men grow moustaches to raise awareness for health issues, such as prostate cancer and depression.
A few beard-loving compatriots jumped on board right away, but at least two members of Burchardi's crew were apprehensive about turning their mugs into monthlong Chia Pet projects. Ultimately, Burchardi's roommate Scott Smith, a UF mathematics senior, said he would give in to the scruffy camaraderie if Ben Nugent, The Navigators staff member, would do the same.
"We thought it would be sweet to do No-Shave November just for fun, but as we talked to a few of the guys, they didn't really want to do it," Burchardi said. "But Ben said, 'If you guys can raise $500 for the charity of my choice, then I'll participate.'"
"We took it upon ourselves as a challenge," he said.
Nugent chose to donate to the adoption agency because he had just adopted a child from Russia through the agency and was impressed by its work.
Burchardi got busy sending out Facebook messages and talking to people about his cause in an effort to come up with the money before the Nov. 1 deadline. He said money was mailed from people they knew in California, New York, Alabama and Tallahassee.
"It's kind of goofy to open up a whole letter with just a $5 bill in it, and that's all there is," he said. "But that's what this was all about, just people giving what they could."
With a week left, however, Burchardi was significantly short of the total he needed to rope Nugent and Smith into his month of manliness. He garnered enough support from his friends and family two days before the deadline.
So far, Nugent and Smith have kept their end of the bargain, and Burchardi estimates his group of beard-growers to be 10 to 12 members strong. The money raised went to the adoption agency's Orphan's Ticket Home campaign, which sends children from across the world to their new parents in other countries.
"I feel that if nothing else, we were productive," said David Burns, member of The Navigators and a No-Shave November participant.
As for Smith, he said he was glad to be part of the experience and didn't get in trouble at his office job, as he initially feared.
"It's been annoying at times, and I can't wait to shave it off, but it has been a fun experience since we got to do it together," he said.
