Shave Summit II

A shot of my blossoming face flower at about Day 9 at our second Tuesday Shave Summit.

Each Tuesday during this effort, we 'growers' get together at a local watering hole to compare our growing lip manes, get updates on the fundraiser, and have a couple of beers together.

It's fun to get to know the other guys, which has made clear this is not your average philanthropic community event. It's engaging a lot of people who may not otherwise be used to raising money.

A few facts on the Elementary School I'm raising funds for, Think College Now, to get your generosity juices flowing:

Located in the Cesar Chavez Education Center in Oakland's diverse Fruitvale community

Demographics:

91% at or near the poverty line, receiving subsidized or reduced-price lunches

255 students, kindergarten through 5th grade- 73% Latino, 20% African-American, and 7% Asian-American

68% English-language learners

Academic Performance Index (API)-

2005-06: Score increased 109 points, the greatest improvement in the district-

2006-07: Score rose 61 points to 781, again leading all Oakland Unified elementary schools in growth

Behold the Glory

At our weekly mustache weigh-in, I had a chance to come stache to stache with the grand trophy for the winner of the Gala Mustache Pageant on December 17.

As you can see, it is an awe inspiring symbol of excellence in this competition and the grower that wins the right to display this on his mantle is truly a lucky man.

Crowstache, Day 7

My mustache is 7 days old (a mere adolescent in mustache years) and I have to say I already feel a bit more manly. And more wise and contemplative.

Crowstache commences!

Join me as I embark on a legendary journey of self-cultivation to raise money for kids.

Raise money through a racing in Triathalon? Naw, that's for wimps. Bake sales to raise funds? No way, that's for sissies.

Instead, over the next five weeks, I will be growing a fabulous never-seen-before mustache on my upper lip. A blossoming sculpture of manhood. Part of a community fundraiser called Mustaches for Kids. http://www.m4ksf.org/

And for a good cause... By contributing to my Stache-A-Thon you'll be buying books and classroom supplies for Think College Now, a small elementary school in the Fruitvale District of Oakland. http://www.thinkcollegenow.org/

Please support this Stache-A-Thon with a donation of any amount through the Donors Choose link on this page. And check back in to see the progress of my mustache!