Male staff members are already starting to get scruffy with the beginning of the second annual No Shave November fundraiser.

The focus of the month-long fundraiser is to bring awareness to prostate cancer, an illness now predicted to affect every  one in six men in their lifetime.

For many on campus, the event is seen as a fun way to get involved and, for those who cannot participate, witness their teachers leave their clean shaven faces behind. For some, however, the issue hits at a more personal level.

“I think it’s a really good cause and I think it’s so simple to just be scruffy for a month,” English teacher Jason Dinkler said. “My dad has had cancer and I think it’s just a really good way to fund raise.” 

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 Vice Principal Carlos Cohen said that his family has also been impacted by prostate cancer.

“Last year, my dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer and I started doing a lot of research and finding out what I can do to help him,” he said.

Other staff members see the fundraiser as a way for the Foothill community to grow and inform the students to take care of themselves.

“Students are young so they don’t really think about health in the future so I think what [No Shave November] does is raise awareness for the kids,” math teacher Bill Huffman said. “It is a serious topic with a fun twist.”

Students and staff can support the cause by either directly adding money to the jars placed in various classrooms around campus or donate on movember.com, a website dedicated to making a global effort to try to raise awareness for men’s health issues.

“It’s something to talk about, build community… [to participate] in something bigger than ourselves,” Cohen said.

Credit: Maddy Schmitt & Ellie Morrison/The Foothill Dragon Press