Nov 15, 2017 3 min read

If you happen to have a close encounter this month with a member of the Mt. Pleasant Township police department, do not be alarmed if they look a bit shaggy and unshaven.

The officers, at the suggestion of Chief Lou McQuillan, have put away their razors this month to participate in No Shave November, a national effort to raise cancer awareness. Officers will be “fined” $25 for not shaving during the month to raise money for the Joey Fabus Childhood Cancer Foundation Inc.

Joey Fabus of Bethel Park was diagnosed at the age of 8 in May 2014 with an inoperable brain tumor called Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Giloma. Members of the Bethel Park police department learned of Joey’s dream to become a police officer and arranged to have him sworn in by a district judge as an honorary member of the department. He died eight months after he was diagnosed with the disease.

McQuillan said he selected the foundation as the charity to receive the money raised because of Joey’s ties with law enforcement. The chief said he has gotten to know they boy’s family.

“Any officer wishing to participate are allowed to grow beards, goatees, mustaches etc that are normally outside of our policies as long as they keep them neat,” McQuillan said. “They will play a flat fee of $25 to wear it for the month. It is all about cancer awareness.”

While Officers Amanda Brewer and Maria Cuccaro can’t grow beards, they did join in the fun by not only donning fake beards, but also contributing toward the cause. While the fake beards may be worn for fun, don’t look for either officer to wear them while on patrol.

“Obviously, we can’t grow facial hair, but it is for a good cause, so I am,” Brewer said.

Cuccaro said she was happy to support the foundation.

“We are a big, old family,” Cuccaro said. “I support the guys on the department and hopefully they’d support us, too.”

Visitors to the Washington County Courthouse or one of the county’s parks may also see some Washington County sheriff’s deputies looking a bit scruffy. They followed suit on McQuillan’s suggestion that they get involved in the fundraising effort.

Sheriff Sam Romano started growing a full beard, but when the gray hair started showing, he opted to scale back and go instead with a goatee. Romano said about 15 to 20 deputies are participating and that they will vote later this month as to which charity will get their donation.

“I think it is a great idea,” Romano said. “Any little bit will help.”

McQuillan said that a township business along with the parents of a police officer in the department have made donations to the effort.

Donations can also be dropped off or mailed to the township building, 31 McCarrell Road, Hickory, Pa. 15340. Checks can be made payable to JFCCF. And look for some photographs at the end of the month, check out the Mt. Pleasant Township, Washington County Facebook page.