Checkpoint 1- Self-Doubt and Skee Ball

Week one and the mustaches are rearin' to go. Actually, truth be told, week one is the most trying, unless your name is Dan and you didn't get the memo that you have to shave at least once a week... Dan, if you're reading this, you best only be sportin' a 'stache come December 4!


No, week 1 is where the self-doubt is the strongest, and the mustache is truly at its weakest. Don't give up though! It's all downhill from here, a rolling mustache gathers no... um... Keep on growing!

The meet-up this week was at East Burn. A lively downstairs taproom opened itself up perfectly for a motley crew of scruffy ruffians (or ragamuffins?).

Also, since the organizers are such sticklers about things and like to put things on their mustache growers, they always make them wear a name tag (mostly so that they can learn each other's name... it has nothing to do with the organizers not knowing every mustaches name... not at all).

Week 1 brought our group closer together. It could have been the skee ball, it could have been the cozy booths, it may very well have been the beer... whatever it was, we're not going to dwell on it, we're looking forward to Thanksgiving!

We will not be meeting on Thursday, the day of Thanks, because, frankly, that would be wrong. And also, because it could also be the most lucrative day for our growers (especially if your family likes children!) The organizers are not that particular sort of evil. Instead the organizers decided to help their growers out by helping them prepare for the inevitable awkward mustache situation.

Questions such as 'Your grandmother tells you that she will withhold your inheritance if you do not immediately shave your 'stache- Quick- What Do You Do??!'
Example of Favorable Answer: 'Whatever, G-ma, I'm doing this for the kids!'
Example of Unfavorable Answer: 'Okay (walks upstairs to shave)."

... and so on and so forth.

The other things we're looking forward to is Checkpoint 2- American Cowgirls.

See Y'all on December 4th!

Clean Shave Day: A Baby Smooth Success!

Well, folks, the 2008 Growing Season is officially here. And it feels good. REAL GOOD. If you were at Life of Riley last Thursday for our Clean Shave Day Checkpoint, then you know how awesome it is to have a bar full of baby-faced men talk mustaches and charity. If you weren't able to make it out to Life of Riley last Thursday to see our clean-shaven Growers in action, then you missed out on a good time.

We started off the night with a Mustache ice breaker. Ever wonder how long it would take you to guess the name of a famous mustache if it were taped to your back? Didn't think so. Turns out, if you're Luke, it wouldn't take you long - he won $25 towards his total donations by guessing his famous Mustache first (The winning famous mustache? Chuck Norris)!

Luke: Clean-shaven and $25 richer for the kids!

We also spent a few minutes taking Mustache Glamour Shots to capture each and every Grower's glorious baby smooth start to the 2008 Growing Season. To check out all the photos from our Clean Shave Checkpoint, take a peek at our Flickr. Here are a few gems to wet your appetite:

Howie, a loyal Mustache: Stopped by before band practice!

Michael M: Smiling for the camera

Tommy: Posing like he means it.

Be sure to head to East Burn for our next Checkpoint, on Thursday, November 20 at 7pm to have a few beers and see all of our Grower's progress after one whole week of 'staching. And remember - they're doing the kids a solid and donating 10% of the bar to DonorsChoose that night, so drink up!

'Staches,

Chrissy & Sarah

Info Session!

Well, it's here! We've said goodbye to our Thursday evenings (doing anything aside from hanging out with the best men in town) from here until the last third of December, Mustaches for Kids is underway (won't you join us?)!!

We met at :Vendetta last Thursday for an Info Session in order to woo the ones on the fence, say hello to old faces and try to lure unassuming barfolk to our ranks.

We at HQ think it was a success. Being M4K virgins ourselves last year, things usually felt somewhere between hectic and crazy. All in all, shooting mostly in the dark, we had a fantastic time and couldn't not try for a bigger and better year this year. Thankfully there are some veterans on board this year: Howie, Don and Pete who we think will give the fresh meat stachies a run for their money (anyone who hasn't seen Pete's follicles, beware!).

Questions were fielded, info packets handed out and a short speech was made. For you out there who are saying to yourselves, 'damn! Is it too late? Must I wait yet another year before I try my upper lip at Portland's Sweetest 'Stace?' Well, dear reader, it is NOT too late. The growing season doesn't officially start until next Thursday which is the official Clean Shave Day. Please shoot us an e-mail asap to get further instructions m4kpdx@gmail.com.

Special thanks to :Vendetta who supported M4K by donating %20 of the bar that night. Portland is already on the map with $271! Keep your eyes peeled for grower profiles to be popping up to the right. That's the place where miracles happen!


We'll see you next week at Life of Riley!

-Out.