Every November, many Americans say goodbye to their boyfriends' and husbands' clean-shaven faces while men take part in the nationwide No Shave November movement. The annual tradition involves ditching the razor for one month, and it has been observed by men in the United States for over a decade. For many participants, the month is simply an excuse to try growing that Tom Selleck-inspired mustache they've always wanted to have. But for some men, including first responders in nearly every part of Lancaster County, the shaving fast is a way to support other emergency service workers who are battling cancer.

In 2013, East Hempfield Township police officer Bill Watt was diagnosed with cancer and underwent treatment. After personally experiencing the emotional stress and financial burden involved with treatment, Watt wished to create an initiative to support other people who are battling cancer. The following year, Watt asked East Hempfield Township's chief of police to waive the department's policy that prohibits officers from growing facial hair during November. For a minimum donation, officers were permitted to grow a beard for the month, after which the money was donated to the Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Institute in Lancaster. The fundraiser, named Beards for Brothers, was officially registered as a nonprofit organization this year.

In 2015, Watt teamed up with West Hempfield Township police officer Rich Bowermaster to expand Beards for Brothers. The two officers' primary goal was to advocate for first responders fighting cancer by offering them financial and emotional support, as well as raising awareness of cancer and urging other police departments to get involved. "(Watt and I) both work in adjoining departments, so we've known eachother for a long time," Bowermaster said. "He reached out to ask if I wanted to join (Beards for Brothers), and of course, it was a no-brainer."

After the first year, Watt and Bowermaster expanded Beards for Brothers to support other emergency service workers in addition to police officers. The initiative quickly grew into a county-wide fundraiser that police officers, firefighters and EMS clinicians in nearly every borough participate in every year. "We decided to open it up to (support) any first responder who has cancer. We all have an important role and support each other somehow," said Bowermaster. "Dispatchers have a tough job, and police officers work side by side with EMS and fire departments when we arrive on scene."

Over the last decade, police departments in areas as far as Pittsburgh have joined the movement, and businesses throughout Lancaster County have supported Beards for Brothers through sponsorships and donations. In addition to the minimum donation from each participant, Beards for Brothers raises money for cancer patients by selling merchandise on its website, http://www.beardsforbrothers.org. Every year, Beards for Brothers selects different Lancaster-based individuals to support, and the fundraiser has benefited local nonprofit A Week Away Foundation for the past five years. A Week Away Foundation funds and organizes respite weeks for local families experiencing a life-threatening illness.

Beards for Brothers invites members of the public to attend First Responders Night Out from 5:30 to 11 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 6, at Olde Village Mill, 1350 Village Road, Strasburg. The event will feature food, live music, a silent auction and various activities, and all proceeds will benefit first responders battling cancer. Beards for Brothers will also host a fundraising event on Wednesday, Nov. 27, at Starview Brews, 224 Locust St., Columbia. For each beer purchased during the evening, one dollar will be donated to to first responders and their immediate families who are fighting cancer.

For more information, visit the aforementioned website or search for "Beards for Brothers" on Facebook.