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FOX 32 NEWS - For the entire month of November, nearly an entire police department ditched their razor blades and grew their beards in direct violation of uniform code. Their mission was to raise money to fight the deadly cancer that took the life of one of their own.
"Our general policy is that officers can't have facial hair beyond a mustache, and full disclosure, I can't stand facial hair,” said Kristen Ziman, Aurora Chief of Police.
Originally known as "Mo-vember,” No Shave November was launched by a group of men in Australia who decided to grow mustaches for a month to call attention to men's health issues. But as the movement spread to the United States, the money spent on shaving products over the thirty days of November was given to charitable organizations committed to defeating various forms of cancer.
The annual fundraiser serves as a tribute to cancer patients, many of whom watch helplessly as their hair falls out while battling the disease.
Awards were handed out Wednesday in categories including ugliest, most natural, and meanest looking facial hair. The event took on a very personal meaning. This year, the Aurora Police Department lost one of their own: 37-year-old Don Corp, who was a Naperville native that lost his battle with pancreatic cancer back in March.
"Part of what we did here was to raise awareness for pancreatic cancer research and in doing so we kept his memory alive. He was a good friend to all of us,” said Sgt. Bill Rowley.
This year, there were No Shave November fundraisers happening all over the country. More than 2-thousand teams collected nearly $1.8 million dollars in donations.
The whisker-clad Aurora cops also chipped in $50 a person to the cause, raising 8-thousand dollars for pancreatic cancer research. They told FOX 32 they want to participate in No Shave November again next year.