No Shave November: AMS Vans Faces a ‘Hairy’ Month

Nov 16, 2012

They abandoned their razors and electric shavers on November 1, and just before Thanksgiving, the AMS Vans Atlanta showroom looks like it’s been invaded by a couple of pirates–but our “pirates” have their hearts in the right place. They’re raising awareness by not going hairless!

No Shave November–or Noshember–and Movember (mustaches only) are movements to raise awareness and money for organizations that benefit multiple sclerosis (MS), prostate cancer, and testicular cancer, and these two guys didn’t hesitate to join the movement. They do that a lot when it comes to organizations supportive of our customers. Over the years, JP and Dallas have run, biked, and golfed in a number of fundraising events for disorders that desperately need cures.

Here are our boys last month with their usual “clean shaven” looks (well, JP is bare; Dallas prefers a light scruff):

For mobility consultant JP Jackson, this fundraising effort hits close to home. His uncle is a prostate cancer survivor. “Prostate cancer is not something to mess around with. It was scary for us at the beginning, but we trusted the doctors would perform all the right procedures, and they did. When I learned about Movember, I was all in.”

What’s really scary are the statistics. Experts believe there are currently 250,000 to 350,000 people living with MS in the United States, and as with most autoimmune disorders, twice as many women are affected by MS as men (National Institutes of Health). And a man has a 1 in 6 risk of developing prostate cancer by the age of 85 (American Cancer Society).

Here’s JP at his desk during week one:

General manager Dallas Crum says, “I’m into triathlons, so I do a lot of cycling and running on a regular basis. It’s always more rewarding to do it for a worthy cause, and creating awareness truly doesn’t get easier than this. That said, I’m pretty sure my wife is looking forward to November 30th.”

Here’s Dallas during week one with his cute baby boy:

And now after two weeks of beard and mustache growth, here are JP and Dallas today:

Actually, we think the change is pretty cool, and are excited to see the results at the end of the month. Speaking of cool, you boys might want to keep your new look just for extra warmth over the wintery months!

What do you think–save or shave? Are you or anyone you know participating in Movember or Noshember? Would you like to see these guys end the race with a close shave? Be sure to check back in early December for the follow-up story, and stay tuned for our “hair-razing” video results!

In the meantime, share your pics with us and enjoy this video from the Made Man Movember team:

UPDATE! See the “hair raising” conclusion here.