Since the start of the month, some of you may have noticed an increase in gentlemen sporting facial hair. Some of you may have even started to grow out your own moustaches. The reason for all these new looks? It's Movember, a month in which men grow moustaches to raise vital funds and awareness for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer and other cancers that affect men. This is the second year for PepsiCo's global fundraising team, and we are happy to share a little more about one of our Frito-Lay "Mo Bros" with you today. Meet David Morgan, University of Tennessee grad (Go Vols!), Associate Operations Analyst and Dallas-area participation and fundraising co-chair for PepsiCo's Movember team.
How did you get involved with Movember? Last year, another member on my team was the chair and asked if I'd be interested in participating. I liked the idea and, more importantly, what it represented and signed up. I helped with participation and fundraising for our 20-person team, and we raised more than $14,000. I'm the Dallas chairperson this year, and we have 40 volunteers working toward our local fundraising goal of $50,000.
Where do the donations you raise this month go? All money goes to LIVESTRONG and the Prostate Cancer Foundation. They allocate all the funds, and a majority of what we raise will go toward new research in the prevention and treatment for testicular and prostate cancers.
Is Movember just for men? Can people who don't want to or can't grow a moustache still be a part of Movember? There are plenty of ways to support Movember without growing a moustache, so all are welcome to be a part of the month -- including women. Our team has more than 100 women participating! Besides growing a moustache, the biggest ways people can help are by spreading the word and raising overall awareness. We also hosted a kickoff event to rally support that included free shaves from The Gent's Place, a raffle and the opportunity to learn more about the impact these cancers can have on our lives from specialists at the USMD Prostate Cancer Center.
What are your plans for your moustache? Honestly, whatever I can get. I did a test run in October to see what it would look like, and I don't think it's going to be pretty.
Big thanks to David for talking with us and for playing a pivotal role with our Movember team. We'll follow up with him at the end of the month and hopefully have a grizzly photo to share as well. If you'd like more information on Movember or are interested in participating, please visit their website at www.movember.com.
What do you think? Will you support Movember this year?
- Joe
UPDATE: I'm proud to announce that team "PepsiCo Mo USA" has become the largest team in the United States and is currently #4 in fundraising. Way to go, team!
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