Nov. 8, 2013
Notre Dame, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame ice hockey team is joining in the efforts to raise awareness and money for research for men’s health issues that include prostate cancer and testicular cancer, living with and beyond cancer and men’s mental health and they are doing it by growing mustaches during the month of Movember.
The global charity encourages men to grow their “Mo” (slang for mustache) from Nov. 1 through Nov. 30 while getting family, friends and colleagues to donate to their Mo-growing efforts. At Notre Dame this event is being spearheaded by Irish senior defenseman Stephen Johns (Wampum, Pa.) who has the support of his entire team in this fundraising effort.
“This is our second season doing this fundraising event. We had fun with it last year and really built some great team camraderie, just doing something silly like growing a mustache,” says Johns.
“At the same time, we were doing something for a great cause, raising money for individuals who suffer from prostate and testicular cancer. It’s the least we can do. Hopefully none of us have to encounter these terrible diseases later in life, but you never know. Just being aware of it and raising awareness is the important thing.”
Notre Dame hockey fans can help out in a variety of ways. First, they can visit Stephen Johns and the Notre Dame hockey page at http://mobro.co/ndhockey7. That will bring you to the team page where you can donate in an individual players’ name or to the Notre Dame hockey team.
Senior goaltender Joe Rogers has gotten off to a fast start with his mustache in Movember.
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The Irish will also be raising funds and awareness at all their Movember home games – Movember 8-9 versus Minnesota, Mov. 15-16 versus Merrimack and Mov. 29-30 during the Shillelagh Tournament. Fans will have the chance to buy fake mustaches for $1.00 to wear at all six games through the end of November with all the proceeds going to the project.
While it’s early in the competition for the best mustache, Johns has a good idea who will be the leaders by the end of the month.
“Right now, I might have the thickest mustache,” said Johns with a laugh.
“But I know in a few weeks, I’ll only be in the middle of the pack. I think Joe Rogers or Moose (Eric Johnson) will have the best ones at the end of the competition.”
There will be silent auctions held the weekend of Nov. 15-16 with fans having the opportunity to bid on a team-autographed stick, an autographed team jersey, a jersey autographed by Anaheim Ducks player Kyle Palmieri, the 2012-13 team photo that hung in the lobby of the Compton Family Ice Arena, a box (20 seats) in O’Brien’s (club-level) for a future game, passes to O’Brien’s for a pre-game dinner, plus tickets and tours of the Irish team spaces for future games at the Compton Family Ice Arena along with other in-game promotions.
Last year, Johns and his Irish teammates raised over $4,500 to contribute to this worldwide effort. Since 2003, when Movember began, over three million participants in 21 countries have raised $446 million for men’s health, funding more than 570 programs globally in the areas of education and awareness, living with and beyond cancer, prostate and testicular cancer research and men’s mental health.