Story by Emily Combs, Contributing writer
For the month of November, officers at the Murray Police Department left their razors on the shelves and grew beards in honor of “No-Shave November,” to acknowledge cancer patients who lose their hair while undergoing chemotherapy.
“I think it’s great to try and produce some awareness,” Sergeant Brant Shutt of the Murray Police Department, said. “There are very few people you talk to anymore that haven’t been affected somehow by cancer.”
Unfortunately, Shutt himself has been affected by cancer.
“I’ve had people in my family pass away from cancer, so I really want to do something that can help produce awareness,” he said. “This is a fun way for the officers to do something to help.”
People have participated in No-Shave November for many years. In 2009, it became a non-profit national organization, when a family from Chicago wanted to use it to honor their late father, who passed away from colon cancer in 2007. Since then, it has become a productive national tradition, raising funds and awareness for cancer.
Last year all the money raised from the Murray Police Department’s No-Shave November event was donated to the Gentry House, a local homeless shelter. This November, the department switched things up to include some friendly competition.
Throughout the month, The Murray Police Department has been posting photos of the participating officers on the Murray Police Department Facebook page, where the public can vote for the officer who they think has the “best beard.”
The winning officer will donate the money raised to a local charity of his choice.
Sergeant Shutt said he was doubtful about his prospects in the competition, but knew what charity he would choose nevertheless.
“I’d probably look toward St. Jude’s,” he said. “Not technically a local charity, but it helps local families.”
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is a children’s hospital dedicated to finding cures for cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
Members of the community are welcome to drop by the department to donate money to the cause, or visit the Murray Police Department Facebook page to cast their votes.