Sigma Nu is giving a new meaning to the term “no shave November.”
In hopes to raise awareness for the fraternity’s philanthropy, all members of Sigma Nu are not shaving their mustaches during the month of November.
Sigma Nu supports the Movember Foundation through their annual event “Kickball for Cancer,” and has been doing so since they chartered again at the University of Oregon in 2010. This years event will take place on Sunday, November 23.
According to Sigma Nu’s rush chair, Andrew Ashby, “The Movember Foundation is the leading global men’s health organization that raises awareness for testicular cancer, prostate cancer and men’s health in general.”
Members of the fraternity feel strongly about this cause because it is highly prevalent in men their age.
“Testicular cancer has very comparable numbers to breast cancer in that 1 in 7 men throughout their lifetime are diagnosed with testicular cancer,” Chris Puma, head of sponsorships and donations for the event, said. “Prostate cancer is most prevalent with men between the ages of 15-35, that’s everyone we know and will meet in the next couple of years.”
Members of Sigma Nu believe that it is their mission to raise awareness and funds for these diseases and do so through a kickball tournament, which is not only open to Greek life members, but the whole community as well.
“By involving the whole community we’re hoping to give Greek life a more positive image,” Ashby said.
Although no community members committed to signing up for the tournament, groups such as student athletes, MBA program and Warsaw are participating, and raising awareness for Movember on their own, according to Steve Harrison, Director of Community Outreach for the event.
Awareness for the foundation will be spread primarily through conversations with fraternity members who are not shaving their mustaches. Noticing an extravagant stache and sparking up a conversation about it will be the driving force in spreading the fraternity’s message.
“The uglier the mustache, the more conversation it drives,” Pac Moxon, member of Sigma Nu, said.
Members believe that raising awareness is highly important because men tend not to think about these specific diseases.
“It flies under the radar so much compared to other diseases,” Moxon said.
In addition to awareness, funds will be raised throughout November for the foundation in a variety of forms including registration fees for the kickball tournament, t-shirt sales, raffles and pledges for fraternity members to not shave their mustaches.
“Last year we raised a little over $5,000, and this year we’re looking to raise over $8,000. We definitely think we can do that,” Kyle Broderick, Sigma Nu new member educator, said.
Overall, the fraternity is less concerned with who participates in the events, but are more concerned about the message they are spreading and that the message is spreading to as many people as possible.
“The lack of awareness is what drives this whole foundation. That’s what I care about more than anything. We just want people talking about it and being aware of it,” Ashby said.
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