;)
Freeman Rogers, Man of Movember 2011Much tomfoolery, hijinks, a little bad taste, and a lot of dubious facial hair, was seen on the beach at Nanny Cay last night as we hosted the Movember Gala for the third time. Movember (the month formerly known as November) is a moustache growing charity event held during November each year that raises funds and awareness for men’s health. This year’s event was elevated to stratospheric heights when Sir Richard Branson made a surprise appearance joining Governor Boyd McCleary, Tamara Archibald-Gill, Miles Sutherland-Pilch and Omonike Robinson-Pickering from the BVI Cancer Society on the judging panel.
Freeman Rogers of the BVI Beacon was crowned Man of Movember 2011 with a magnificent specimen – his second win – while Jason Smith, Freeman’s colleague at the BVI Beacon won the Mo Lumberjack award.
Nanny Cay staff scooped two awards with Orville Weeks having the Lamest Mo and Sheik Drew Whittaker was the classiest according to the judges. Last of the Mo’hicans, Andrew Gilliland was Mr Mo Money, raising $1800. Ewan Anderson, moustachioed for twenty years, raised $1100 by promising to save his off if he reached $1,000. His daughter ceremonially shaved him on the stage. Or was it unceremoniously dry-shaved him against the grain?
The BVI Chapter of Movember grows from strength to strength and raised $10,000 last year. This year the group, led by Scott Hart, looks set to top that amount with initial figures estimated at $15,000.
A third of the money raised will be sent to Movember International to fund the (Global Action Plan) GAP, a new initiative to find a better alternative to the current PSA test which is now considered ineffective, and increase outreach and education on men’s health. The other two thirds will be donated to to the BVI Cancer Society to develop an outreach programme here and provide grants for men suffering from prostate or testicular cancer. Prostate Cancer is the second largest killer cancer of males after lung cancer, despite having a 90% success rate of being treated successfully when diagnosed.
Globally, Movember 2010 saw 447,832 Mo Bros and Mo Sistas raise $81m. In 2009 that figure was $44m.
And the winners were:
Man of Movember – Mo Bro judged to have the best moustache and knows how to wear it.
Freeman Rogers, second time winner
Lame Mo – Mo Bro (who has grown the whole month) most facial folically challenged.
Orville Weeks
Mo Money – Mo Bro who has raised the most money.
Last of the Mo’hicans, Andrew Gilliland
Mo Celebrity – Mo Bro who best channels a famous moustache.
Sean Connery aka Tim Dabbs
Big Sexy Mo – Mo Bro who best exemplifies the the sexual allure of the moustache.
Nir Zlochover
Mo Growth – Mo Bro who simply outgrew everyone else.
Ian James
Mo Class – Mo Bro who best exemplifies the class of the stache.
Sheik Drew Whittaker
Mo Lumberjack – This years special category to celebrate the international Movember “Great Outdoors” theme, for the Mo Bro that best portrays a lumberjack (and that’s OK…).
Jason Smith
Ms Movember – Mo Sista judged to have the most Mo spirit.
Traci O’Dea
The idea for Movember was sparked in 2003 over a few beers in Melbourne, Australia. The guys behind it joked about 80s fashion and decided it was time to bring the moustache back. In order to justify their Mos (Australian slang for moustache), they used their new looks to raise money for prostate cancer research… never dreaming that facial hair would ultimately lead to a global movement that would get men talking about a taboo subject – their health.
A Mo Bro starts Movember – the month formerly known as November – clean shaven, and grows a moustache all month long, garnering support from friends and family in the form of donations. What’s more, a Mo Bro is a walking billboard for the cause as his new look opens the door for him to talk about cancers affecting men – making the moustache a symbol, much like the pink ribbon is for breast cancer. Each Movember culminates in a Gala Partè in major cities around the globe where Mo Bros dress up to match their Mo, channeling the likes of Tom Selleck, Gandhi and Ron Burgandy, vying for the ultimate accolade: Man of Movember. While growing a Mo is left to the guys, Mo Sistas (women who support their guys) form an important part of Movember by recruiting Mo Bros, helping to raise funds and attending Movember events.
Since its humble beginnings in Melbourne Australia, Movember has grown to become a truly global movement inspiring more than 1.1 Million Mo Bros and Mo Sistas to participate with formal campaigns in Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada, the UK, Finland, the Netherlands, Spain, South Africa and Ireland. In addition, Movember is aware of Mo Bros and Mo Sistas supporting the campaign and men’s health cause across the globe, from Russia to Dubai, Hong Kong to Antarctica, Rio de Janeiro to Mumbai, and everywhere in between.
