Manuary beards raise money for a cause
By LEE PROCIDA
Cherry Hill Sun
2/8/2008

Stubble-studded event raises $3,500 for leukemia stricken 2 year old

The First Annual Manuary Awards at Camden Catholic High School was a stubble-studded event that may have been the most entertaining awards show this year.

As a competition between high school seniors to grow the manliest beard in a month, the show judged which of 25 young men could be the best at...doing nothing. Rule No. 1 of Manuary: no shaving at all from Jan. 8 to Jan. 31.

But this award show was a strange twist on the writer’s strike drama playing out in Hollywood.

The show was going on because of the beards, not in spite of them, although they were still grown to support a cause – in this case raising money for a 2 year old with leukemia.

Senior Tom Burke said he and fellow Manuary contestant Jim Schuenemann came up with the idea after Burke wanted to think of a way to support his cousin recently diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Schuenemann had heard of students doing the contest at other schools for fun, and the two brought it to Camden Catholic as a cool way to raise money for a good cause.

So with the help of philosophy teacher Chris Ehrmann, the group made the contest happen, and by Jan. 31 contestants received more than $3,500 in donations for Burke’s little cousin, Vincenzo Angelucci, and his treatment at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Specialty Care Center in Voorhees.

Vincenzo was there in the Camden Catholic cafeteria with his mother waiting to see who would win the event’s three awards: “Best Beard,” “Best Effort” and “Most Money Raised.”

First, each contestant stepped forward for the judges, as Ehrmann shouted, “Chins up, let’s see what you grew,” and three judges – Principal Tom Kiely, Vice Principal Diane Corwell and the Coordinator of the Service Learning Program Paula Mueller – scribbled down their assessments of each beard, mustache or five-o’clock-shadow.

Mueller said the judges decided beforehand that it was facial hair that counted, not hair under the chin or on the neck and chest. She almost admits that they were biased toward dark colored whiskers, but justifies it by saying it adds to the beard’s sense of “suave.”

The first winner was Shane McFadden for “Best Effort.”

“I tried hard,” he said in his acceptance speech. “I’m not really disappointed because I still raised $150. I just wish Vincenzo the best of luck.”

“We recognize that not all men are created equal in this circumstance,” Mueller said, explaining the panel’s decision. “Some men are beard-challenged, but they still chose to join the contest.

“It was not for lack of effort, but lack of hormones.”

The next winner was Ethan Sherman for raising the most money, which won him an electric razor and trimming set.

“I just asked as many people as I could,” he said when asked what his technique was in securing 73 donors.

Then came the event everyone had been waiting for, “Best Beard.” The panel said it was a tough decision, but they eventually decided unanimously that Burke won with his Paul Bunyan-esque mystique and lumberjack charm.

Burke’s beard was certainly impressive for a high school senior, but he shot down any rumors of hair-enhancing substances.

“Nah, I stay away from that,” he said, admitting he would try to lobby his teachers to let him keep his now award-winning facial hair.

Vincenzo’s mom, Susan, from Oaklyn, said she was overwhelmed by the support of the boys and the school.

“It’s so nice and wonderful how many people will help you,” she said.

The Angeluccis were to be presented with a check from the contest on Saturday, Feb. 2, at a blood drive in Vincenzo’s honor at Oaklyn Public School.

The contestants then went to the Clip Joint salon in Merchantville where they received complimentary trims to bring them back to normal and in line with the school’s clean-shaven policy.

Ehrmann, who participated along with several other teachers and said he started to be confused with Santa Claus and Wolf Blitzer, also said he could not wait to shave.

As for next year, he still has not decided whether to do a “Peach Fuzz Challenge” for the school’s junior boys.