Razor focus: Shave for the Brave raises $48,000 for childhood cancer patients

Ormond Beach-based Fletcher's Irish Pub benefits Palm Coast-based Live Like Cameron Foundation.

By Guest Author
| 3:00 p.m. December 14, 2021

Tre Topping is shaved at the second-annual Shave for the Brave, a fundraiser organized by Fletcher’s Irish Pub. Photo by Julia Ambrose

Tre Topping. Photo by Julia Ambrose

Second-annual Shave for the Brave, a fundraiser organized by Fletcher’s Irish Pub. Photo by Julia Ambrose

Jeremy Pappa and Brad Ford taking part in the shaving. Photo by Julia Ambrose

Tim Forrester and his wife. Photo by Julia Ambrose

Photo by Julia Ambrose

Auction items at the second-annual Shave for the Brave, a fundraiser organized by Fletcher’s Irish Pub. Photo by Julia Ambrose

Ben and Jerry’s volunteers. Photo by Julia Ambrose

Palm Coast Observer
Business

by: Julia Ambrose

The mustache was 51 years in the making.

Then it was gone.

Melisa Fulling, creator of the Live Like Cameron Foundation, was “blown away” by the turnout at the second-annual Shave for the Brave, a fundraiser organized by Fletcher’s Irish Pub owner Bill Fletcher, to benefit childhood cancer patients.

She was particularly excited about that 51-year-old mustache — her father’s. Mike Knox had worn a mustache for Fulling's whole life; she had never seen him without. It was one of dozens that were shaved to help raise about $48,000 — triple the total of last year’s event.

Fulling’s father had an extreme attachment to his mustache and was nervous, but was excited to shave it off for a great cause.

Additional supporters expressed their excitement for the beard-shaving as well. Jeremy Pappa and Brad Ford have been regulars at Fletcher’s Irish Pub for years, and have followed Fletcher ever since his move to the new location. They each enjoy how they look with a beard and consider it part of their trademark, but with the amazing cause at stake, they were stoked to make the change.

Even if they would have a “baby face” following the shaving.

Both were members of fundraising team Thundercats and reached out to friends and family by way of social media months prior to the event.

Tim Forrester has his own connection to the Live Like Cameron foundation and was excited to shave his 3-year-old beard. Forrester has been grooming his beard ever since his retirement from the Army and considered it a treat not to have to shave anymore. His wife was relieved to see the beard gone and is excited for the new and improved Tim.

Another shaver, Tre Topping, had grown his beard out since his junior year in high school and was emotional when he saw himself for the first time without it.

Fletcher said he plans to continue the tradition and have another Shave for the Brave in 2022.