Jeremy Andrews and his merry band of facial-hair devotees want to change the face of charity in Battle Creek and increase the city's "hip" and "cool" factor at the same time.
Andrews, 32, is a founding member of the Battle Creek Metropolitan Area Mustache Society.
It all began during a mustache- and cleavage-themed party in honor of his 30th birthday.
"About 40 of my male friends showed up with these ridiculous mustaches," says Andrews, who prefers to sport a full beard because he thinks mustaches are silly.
"They're kind of silly. When you have 40 in a backyard in downtown Battle Creek -- it's really silly."
After swilling some beer and laughing at each others mustaches, goatees and beards, the group began to plan an activity for the following year to raise money for a good cause.
In April 2008 the
Mustache Society had its first meeting with 11 members present and made plans for a number of disc golf and dart tournaments. They would be fun and raise money for the Charitable Union, a group that collects and distributes household goods and clothing to Battle Creek-area residents in need.
From April through August of that year, the tournaments, along with a pub crawl through downtown watering holes and the first-ever 'Stache Bash, raised $16,000 for the Charitable Union.
"We thought we were pretty good at this and we shouldn't stop," Andrews says.
The city's Mustache Society, which does not require facial hair growth for membership, now has about 35 active members. Between 75 and 100 individuals show up consistently for the group's events. There are no membership dues, but there is a meeting the first Monday of each month at
Arcadia Brewing conducted by the Chiefs of 'Stache.
While downing copious amounts of Arcadia-brewed beer, ideas for raising fun and money are put forward.
"Our biggest goal is to have a good time. If we raise 50 cents that's great," Andrews says.
The group didn't raise much money in the summer of 2009 because it focused on development of a disc golf course at Irving Park. The $20,000 it cost to construct the course, completed in August 2009, came through grants and donations.
The whisker-growers raise funds, but Andrews says another reason the group meets is to make Battle Creek a more attractive place to have "cool, hip, quirky and odd" events for young professionals who want to stay in the Cereal City.
"The more involved I get in the city I see that we definitely do not lack things to do," Andrews says.
Andrews was born in Battle Creek and returned after living all over the United States and France. He graduated from Western Michigan University as a Political Science and Education major with French thrown in the mix.
He came back to be closer to his family. He also was attracted by the low cost of living.
"I'm not a rich man," Andrews says. "Battle Creek is an inexpensive place to live and there are good people here. It's got a Midwestern and homey feel to it. Plus my friends here started having babies, so it was easy to come back."
Andrews has a full-time job with a nonprofit in Battle Creek, but says he prefers to keep his private and professional lives separate, so his job won't be mentioned here.
Despite his affection for his hometown, Andrews admits he doesn't have a clue where he'll end up living. At this point in his life, Andrews says, he simply wants to make the best of where he is now. He does not shy away from telling it like it is -- he has no time for people who complain of a lack of things to do in Battle Creek.
"Hey, it's because they're really pretty lazy when comes to finding stuff to do," Andrews says. "People complain that there's not enough to do, but they don't want to look for it. Those are people who belong in a big city.
"Things to do aren't handed to you or come naturally. People with things in common create things to do together."
Hence, the creation of the Mustache Society whose members don't seem to have any trouble finding ways to have fun in Battle Creek.
He ticks off the ways. Live music plays at many Battle Creek-area bars and restaurants, such as Planet Rock and Arcadia.
His friends canoe down the Kalamazoo River, mountain bike through Fort Custer Recreation Area, take bicycle rides to a brewery in Marshall or along the Battle Creek's Linear Park Trail. And, of course, there is disc golf.
"For a town of 55,000 people we have quite a bit of opportunities," Andrew says.
The Mustache Society again is creating one of those opportunities beginning at 7 p.m. on Aug. 7 with the third annual Crawl Your 'Stache Off Pub Crawl.
This year, the Mustache Society has recruited sponsors for the pub crawl and will offer free T-shirts to participants. The pub crawl begins at the Sports Page and will stop at Arcadia Brewing, Griffin's Pub and the Cricket Club.
"It's highly encouraged that men show up with big mustaches. Women can just draw one on," Andrews says. "We keep them (mustaches) from the beginning until end the of August."
For the past three years, in keeping with the spirit of bewhiskered fun, city leaders have proclaimed August Mustache Month.
The pub crawl includes, in Andrews' words, "some ridiculous point-system-type games, which could include the initiating of cheesy pickup lines, or shaving a stranger's mustache or goatee."
August's festivities will be followed by a 'Stache Bash, at 7 p.m Sept. 4 at Arcadia Brewing. The band Northern Whiskey Syndicate is expected to perform. The evening will feature a mustache judging contest and the crowning of the city's Mustache King. The event is a fundraiser for the Kingman Museum.
Next up for the Mustache Society will be observance of FebruHairy festivities, likely to include a cardboard-sled race, an "Ugliest Sweater" contest, a dip in the lake, or a chilli-cookoff contest. Last year, they raised about $5,000 for Leila Arboretum.
"We choose who we want to raise money for based on our likes and dislikes," Andrews says. He strongly discourages organizations from contacting him with requests.
Andrews says he and his group plan to continue to have fun and if they raise a bit of money for worthy causes along the way all the better.
He would like nothing more than to see Battle Creek become an artsy, culture mecca of the Midwest. But for that to happen a diverse group of people with ideas is needed, he says.
"We don't want anybody to have the opinion that we (the Mustache Society) want to be the only ones doing cool event planning," Andrews says. "We would all be very happy if someone else would put on events that we could go to.
"There's no one behind the curtain making cool cities cool. People have to do it," Andrews says.
Jane C. Parikh, a freelance reporter and writer with more than 20 years of experience, is the owner of In So Many Words
based in Battle Creek.Photos by
Erik Holladay.