Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 10/5/17
From Press Release
It’s officially the fall lacrosse season and that means one thing, Mustaches! Ken Clausen is proud to bring you the 9th installment of Lax Stache Madness supporting the HEADstrong Foundation.
So which style of Stache will you and your teammates grow this fall? Will it be the Magnum, the Swashbuckler, the Handlebar or the Fu Manchu? Regardless of the style, your stache matters in a big way.
There is no denying that the fall season has produced some of most legendary dusters college athletics has ever witnessed. Despite how comical or casual they may be, the impact that Lax Stache Madness has for families affected by cancer is incredible and this fall you have the opportunity to be part of it.
Growers can now begin registering their fundraising teams. The campaign officially runs from October 19th through November 28th. Team fundraising captains are encouraged to go to www.LaxStacheMadness.com to set up their team fundraising page and encourage their teammates to join in their efforts.
Lax Stache Madness organizers are looking to ignite the philanthropic spirit of the lacrosse community and raise more $200,000 this year to commemorate the 200,000 American families that will be shattered by the news of cancer diagnosis over the duration of the campaign.
Lax Stache Madness is an interactive online fundraiser encouraging student-athletes to TOSS their razors, GROW their mustaches, go HEAD to HEAD against teams country and RAISE money to HELP families. Lax Stache Madness was created by former professional lacrosse player and Hill School alum Ken Clausen while attending the University of Virginia. Marketed around his signature mustache, he believed that growing facial hair was a great way to make a difference while paying tribute to HEADstrong founder Nicholas Colleluori.
Colleluori was a Division I lacrosse player entering his sophomore year at Hofstra University when he was terminally diagnosed with cancer. His public fight from the sidelines captivated the nation and from his hospital bed he created an organization focused on empowering student-athletes to improve lives affected by the disease.
After enduring 14 months of treatment, Colleluori tossed his razor and grew a mustache in the last weeks of his life as a way to take focus off of his apparent weight loss and declining physical appearance. In an uncontrollable situation, Colleluori’s mustache was a humorous way for him to feel “normal” again.
Just as Colleluori did, beginning October 19th college lacrosse players nationwide will toss their razors to honor their fallen brother and compete in Lax Stache Madness™; a 6-week online fundraising challenge with proceeds supporting families affected by cancer. The campaign dates are significant as they mark Colleluori’s birthday 10/19 and the date of his passing 11/28.
Imagine just for a minute you or someone you love is diagnosed with cancer. After months or even years of treatment, perhaps remission and then recurrence, you’re told that the next step has to be advanced treatment. That treatment is hundreds or thousands of miles from home in Philadelphia, but it is a chance, a hope, that must be pursued relentlessly.
What would you do? This is an unfortunate reality for Ben, a 5 year old from Easton, Pennsylvania that is battling Wilms’ Tumor; an aggressive pediatric kidney cancer that has advanced to his lungs. Ben and his family are currently guests of Nick’s House, a family home operated by the HEADstrong Foundation, while he undergoes treatment
in Philadelphia. Due to his extensive treatment regiment Ben and his family have been guests of Nick’s House for the past 120 days, relieving them of more than $30,000 in out of pocket expenses. Ben and his family are just one of the thousands that the HEADstrong Foundation has assisted over the past 11 years.
Beginning November 1st fundraising teams will advance to a knockout style bracket tournament with weekly competition. Teams raising more during the designated competition period will advance and a Stache Champion will be crowned on 11/28!
5 Easy Steps To Get Growing
1) Toss Your Razors This Fall (10/19-11/28) – Already Have A Stache Your Ahead Of The Game.
2) Get Growing – Create Your Customized Fundraising Page at http://www.LaxStacheMadness.com. Set a team Fundraising Goal. For example, the average guest family of Nick’s House is relieved of more than $10,000 in out of pocket expenses during their stay, so teams are encouraged to adopt a family and raise $10,000.
3) Rally Your Teammates To Grow Their Mustaches and Compete Against Other Teams From Across The Country. Try to get as many players from your team to join your Team Fundraising Page and encourage them to GET GROWING.
4) Imbed Your Fundraising Link Into Daily or Weekly Emails and Social Posts. Share your team’s efforts, progress and impact with your network and community. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
5) Ignite Your Network To Donate – Supporters Are Encouraged To Give Throughout the Campaign
The funds raised by growing your Mustache this fall will be essential in supporting the relentless efforts of the HEADstrong Foundation. HEADstrong Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit organization committed to helping families navigate their cancer journey with clarity, dignity and normalcy and provides direct services to both patient and families to improve their quality of life. Funds will also support Nick’s House, an extended-stay guest family home operated by the HEADstrong Foundation that provides complimentary lodging and support for patients and families displaced while pursuing comprehensive cancer care and potentially lifesaving clinical trials.
Over the next 6 weeks leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday, follow LaxStache Master Ken Clausen as he chronicles the Lax Stache Madness through social media, emails, blogs and videos.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LaxStacheMadness
Twitter: @LaxStache, #MyStacheMatters
Instagram: @LaxStacheMadness
“We are thrilled to announce year 9 of our Lax Stache Madness campaign supporting the HEADstrong Foundation. Lax Stache Madness has become a staple in the lacrosse community and together we have raised over $866,000 to improve lives affected by cancer and hopefully this year we will surpass $1,000,000! We hope that you will join the fight,
#MyStacheMatters, and get growing in support of the HEADstrong Foundation this fall.” – Ken Clausen, Lax Stache Madness Founder
For more information on Lax Stache Madness please visit http://www.LaxStacheMadness.com, http://www.HEADstrong.org or email Pat Colleluori at Pat@HEADstrong.org.