Candler School of Theology Admissions Blog

Candler Mustache Society

Kerr Ramsey, 2nd year MDiv student, looking dapper, and a little frightening

In February of 2009, The Candler Mustache Society (CMS) held its second annual FebruHairy event. This February, 17 Candler men (and one Emory PhD student in Microbiology, who probably could talk about mustaches on the follicular level) grew mustaches in order to raise money and awareness for concerns around Domestic Violence. According to organizers Brett Harris and Elizabeth Wilson, the CMS expanded upon last year’s successful FebruHairy events with 6 additional mustachioed men, along with 4 women in supporting roles—t-shirt-making, organizing—basically most of the work besides the facial-hair-growing! The group set out to raise $1500 for the Women’s Resource Center to End Domestic Violence , a local non-profit that provides services and programs for victims of domestic Violence. The CMS ended up raising over $2000—nearly doubled from last year!—for the WRCDV through T-shirt sales and donations for sponsoring a mustache-grower.

In addition to the successful fundraising, the CMS sponsored a lunch gathering of over 65 people to promote domestic violence awareness in the community. The group also hosted a current Candler student, who shared her personal survivor story of domestic violence and how she overcame abuse.

And to cap off FebruHairy was the ‘Stache Bash, where Taylor Hammett, 2^nd Year MDiv student (pictured above right), was named Mustache King for raising the most money overall ($275). Great job, Candler Mustache Society! What a creative and fun way to raise money and awareness for what is a very serious issue in all communities.

Special thanks to Joe Martinez(pictured below), himself a mustachioed man and a freelance photographer here in Atlanta, for the ‘stache shots of Kerr, Taylor, and Dan. Check out Joe’s blog.