Having started in Australia in 2003, Movemberhas now become a global movement: running campaigns in 21 countries around the globe. During November each year, Movember is responsible for the sprouting of moustaches on male faces around the world. The aim of which is to raise vital funds and awareness for men’s mental health, specifically prostate cancer and male mental health. For anyone not familiar with the rules of Movember…..there are 5 simple rules:
- Once registered at Movember.com, each Mo Bro must begin the 1st of November with a clean shaven face
- For the entire month of Movember, each Mo Bro must grow and groom a moustache
- There is to be no joining of the Mo to your sideburns (that’s considered a beard)
- There is to be no joining of the handlebars to your chin (that is considered a goatee)
- Each Mo Bro must conduct himself like a true gentleman
Movember Raising Awareness & Millions In Donations
2011 was Movember’s most successful year to date with 854,288 Mo Bros and Mo Sistas raising $125.7M. So far in 2012, there are 1,117,237 participants with over $70M raised with 1 week left to go in November. Here is a breakdown of the top countries based on money raised to date, participants and average fundraising per participant (as of November 29, 2012):
- Canada -> 245736 participants -> $31,102,958 raised -> $126.57 average per participant
- United Kingdom -> 360,827 participants -> $22,751,599 raised -> $63.05 average per participant
- Australia -> 143,424 participants -> $19,790,953 raised -> $137.99 average per participant
- United States -> 207,357 participants -> $15,123,244 raised -> $72.93 average per participant
- Ireland -> 16,979 participants -> $1,274,557 raised -> $75.07 average per participant
Mo Canucks vs Mo Canadiens
Even though we don’t have NHL hockey to watch, there is a battle going on between the Vancouver Canucks and the Montreal Canadiens.
On November 1, the Canadiens officially announced the challenge to the Canucks via Twitter with this tweet:
Movember time! How ‘bout a friendly wager @vancanucks? Us vs. you: losing mascot poses with winner’s jersey? #FinlovesMTL #MoHabsMo — Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) November 1, 2012
The challenge was quickly accepted by the Vancouver Canucks social media team:
BOOM. We’re in. RT @canadiensmtl: Movember time! How bout a friendly wager @vancanucks? Us vs you: losing mascot poses with winner’s jersey? — Vancouver Canucks (@VanCanucks) November 1, 2012
As of today, it appears as though the Montreal Canadiens mascot will be sporting a Vancouver Canucks jersey unless they are able to mount a big comeback in the final week of Movember. Currently, the Canucks team has raised $5,563 while the Canadiens team has raised $1,859.
TSN Sportscenter Anchors Grow Mos For Movember
Popular TSN Sportscenter anchors Jay Onrait, Dan O’Toole and Gino Reda have all jumped on board to support Movember. Being in the national spotlight on Canada’s most popular sports news show gives them a platform to raise awareness and funds for the Movember cause. To date, the TSN team has raised $2971.
For a daily dose of Movember humor, make sure to check out some of the TSN Twitter handles.
Just about to go live on @sportscentre. Words of inspiration: RT @tsnbobmckenzie: Jay, just focus on your show tonite… and your moustache. — Jay Onrait (@JayOnrait) November 24, 2012
“By the beard of Zeus!!” Or as we like to say “By the Mo of Gino!!” #TSN #Movember #GinoReda #stache #mo instagr.am/p/SWfLd2lhwC/ — SportsCentre (@SportsCentre) November 23, 2012
Mople Leaf Sports & Entertainment Lead All Sports Teams
Led by NHL Hall of Famer, Wendell Clark and his epic moustache, the Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment team is leading the pack when it come to Sports Teams participating in Movember.
Their team currently ranks #9 in the All Teams Leaderboard with $73,975 raised to date. As a way to incentivize their team members, Team Mople Leaf registrants that raise over $200 during Movember receive a free Team Mople Leaf sport t-shirt.
Mike Brown battles George Parros Off The Ice
Since the guys can’t battle it out on the ice, NHL tough guys Mike Brown (Toronto Maple Leafs) and George Parros (Florida Panthers) have decided to go head to head in their own version of the World Moustache Championships.
In partnership with the NHLPA and Movember, both players shaved off their iconic contributions to the facial hair community at the beginning of Movember, and have since been locked in an epic battle of the moustaches.
Although it’s a competition, both Brown and Parros have been offering up signed posters and sticks to fans that donate to their cause. So, clearly the real winner in this battle is the Movember initiative. To date, Brown’s team has raised $4,778 and Parros’s team has raised $7231
Sherwood Develops Limited Edition Mo-Stick
Sherwood Hockey and Movember Canada have teamed up to produce the first ever Sher-Wood Mo’ Stick in support of men’s mental health. Sher-Wood is donating 15% of every stick purchased to Movember Canada. (The Limited Edition Mo’ Stick is only available at participating Source For Sports® stores across Canada).
Source For Sports® and Sher-Wood Hockey are also giving away 125 Mo’ Sticks autographed by Colorado Avalanche forward Paul Stastny. All you have to do to enter to win is LIKE the Source For Sports® Facebook Page and enter using their contest submission form.
In addition to the Mo’ Stick, the Source For Sports® stores across Canada have joined forces to raise money for Movember. To date they have raised a combined total of $11,361
Sports Networker Supports Movember in Canada
Not to be outdone by the professional sports teams, players and media outlets in Canada, the Sports Networker Canadian contingent (namely myself) has also decided to join in on the Movember challenge this year.
I was initially motivated to join after watching my father grow a moustache for the first time in over 20 years during the 2011 Movember campaign. And, I was further motivated when my old roommate (Rob Rose) at Iowa State University put out the challenge on who could fundraise the most donations.
As of the time I write this post, I have raised a respectful $375, whereas Rob has raised a whopping $1,633.
It looks like I am going to have to concede defeat on this one and buck up for a customized Bobblehead doll for Rob. But, regardless, the real winner in this campaign is the Movember initiative and all the good that it does to raise awareness for Men’s Health.
Do you know of any other sports teams or athletes participating in Movember? Are you participating in Movember? Let us know in the comments below and feel free to share the link to your Movember donation page.
Undeniably consider that that you said. Your favorite justification seemed to be at the net the easiest thing to remember of. I say to you, I definitely get irked at the same time as other people think about concerns that they just do not know about. You controlled to hit the nail upon the top and outlined out the whole thing without having side-effects , people could take a signal. Will likely be again to get more. Thank you