As No-Shave November comes to an end, the Kent Police Department finds themselves with faces to shave this December. But Kent Police Lt. Michael Lewis said the participants are doing it for a good cause.

“We’re trying to raise money and raise awareness for men’s health,” Lewis said. “If (some Kent police officers) decide to grow facial hair, they’re challenged to raise money for the cause.”

No-Shave November or “Movember,” as it is called at the Kent Police Department, has been a tradition at the station for the past five years.

The tradition started when a member of the Kent Police Department lost his father to prostate cancer and decided to partner with the Movember Foundation, which details the rules of Movember.

“Initially the guys (at the Kent Police department) started growing mustaches, typically going by the ‘Movember’ Foundation. That’s what they say: you have to start on Nov. 1 clean-shaven and grow a mustache only for the 30 days of November,” Lewis said.

According to the foundation’s website, the Movember Foundation prompts participants to fundraise for men’s health issues, including prostate and testicular cancer, mental health and suicide risks.

The organization aims to reduce the number of men dying prematurely by 25 percent before the year 2030, according to its website.

Lewis also stated while growing out facial hair is usually strictly prohibited at the Kent Police Department, it is allowed for participants in Movember.

“We’re no different than anyone else. A lot of us have had our lives impacted by cancer. We’ve had friends and family members diagnosed with cancer; Some of us have lost loved ones to cancer,” Lewis said.

The department is currently running its own fundraising page through the website titled “Team Kent 5.0.” The page states that the station’s motivation to fundraise is to “change the face of men’s health.”

Lewis has been growing out his facial hair to help with the page and is promoting the cause by urging people to donate to the page, despite an interesting initial roadblock.

“I had never ever grown facial hair until this program came along. I was challenged by one of our employees to (participate). She alone said she would donate $50 if I grew facial hair during the month of November,” Lewis said.

The donation page has raised over $1,400 and donations will be accepted until the end of the month through the website http://moteam.co/team-kent-5-0.

Mitch Felan is the safety and transportation reporter, contact him at [email protected].