By Wanda Kelsey-Mendez, Communications Manager at Kansas City Hospice

February is Mustache Month for Carousel and I’m a ‘Stache Faker for the cause! I didn’t want to sit by the sidelines and watch men grow hairy lips when Kansas City Hospice began Mustache Month last year. So, I did a little daydreaming and a little brainstorming and figured out how to use my degree in theater to get a bit ridiculous. Well, more than a little ridiculous!

I confess that I don’t mind looking silly! Plus, the cause is close to my heart. Carousel Pediatric Care takes care of kids needing hospice or palliative care. They can start even before a baby is born and have a great team of professionals who care for all ages up to young adult.

I knew I wanted to do something for each day. The 26 letters of the alphabet and the 28 days of February, well that works! I came up with a mustache theme for each day and then started taking selfies.

From “A is for Artistic ‘Stache” through “Z is for Zesty ‘Stache” I posted a new selfie each day.

Each day I posted to social media and got my friends and family to share. I had cousins ponying up from out of state plus local friends coughing up cash. In between the guffawing and general hilarity, of course!

I cooked hotdogs and brats with a painted-on mustache. Mustache on me, not on the dogs. Although…mustard mustaches on the dogs would have worked! Note to self – this is food for thought.

I baked chocolate mustache cookies and sold mustache lollipops. I also drew on mustaches with various eyeliners, lip pencils and other makeup. So many mustaches, so little time!

An unexpected encounter

One morning I stopped at McDonalds on the way back from an early meeting. I was sporting a really nice purple eyeliner handlebar mustache. Sitting in the drive through, a young man walked in front of my car and did a classic double take. He pointed at me and then at his lip and then gave me a big thumbs up. 

He did a roll-down-the-window motion and asked me “What’s up with the fabulous mustache? You look very dashing!” I told him about Mustache Month for Carousel and he dug a fiver out of his pocket. “This is for the kids,” he said.

I won an award! The “Texas Hold ‘Em Award” was given to me for going “all in.” But, the most important thing is that I exceeded my fundraising goal and the kiddos at Carousel got some much needed support.

One ‘Stache Faker baked a huge mustache-shaped cake and auctioned it off. Spectacular! Several Fakers put mustaches on their pets, and who doesn’t love extra hair on a dog or cat? Whatever people can create this year, I’m looking forward to it. What would YOU do for kids in hospice? The sky is the limit!

I’m still working on my plan for this year. If you have any suggestions, leave me a comment.

Do you want to help? Check out the Kansas City Hospice social media sites below and share, share, share!

I’m not above begging, so if you want to donate via my profile, here’s the LINK.

But, what I’d love most is for you to join me! Get in on the fun and help a cause right here in Kansas City. The families of kiddos in hospice need us to care. Did you even know that hospice for kids is a thing? Well, the least you can do is spread the word!

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