Deputy sheriffs participate in ‘Goatees for Charity.’
Donations given to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
WEST CHESTER >> A group of Chester County deputy sheriffs recently concluded a charitable effort that allowed them to grow beards in exchange for donations to a children’s hospital.
Dubbed “Goatees for Charity,” the deputies donated $10 a paycheck for the privilege to temporarily defy office policy, which only permits mustaches. All proceeds from the fivemonth program, which debuted in 2013, are donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Tennessee.
Explaining the origin of the program four years ago, Cpl. Brad DeSando and Cpl. Wayne Johnson said they were musing one day about the office prohibition on chin hair and began brainstorming about a potential, temporary fix.
DeSando said he and Johnson reached out to Collin Meisenhelter, treasurer of the Deputy Sheriffs’ Association of Chester County. As someone who sacrificed his goatee when he joined law enforcement, Meisenhelter welcomed the idea and agreed to handle the finances.
This year, Meisenhelter said 17 deputies participated, raising nearly $1,400 for the pediatric hospital. The grow-out, which started in November, was scheduled to end last month, but was extended. Not all of the deputies were able to take advantage: several ended up shaving earlier than expected because they were out of practice, and inadvertently created a lop-sided look that couldn’t be repaired any other way.
The requirements of the project are fairly strict. Goatees only are allowed; no “Duck Dynasty” woolly mammoth beards or Fu Manchus. The beards are subject to the normal inspection during roll call, and supervisors in charge determine their acceptability. Any deputy not meeting the “neatly trimmed” standard will be required to comply immediately, and those who repeatedly come in mis-shaven will be removed from the program.
Sheriff Carolyn “Bunny” Welsh said the initiative also offered an unexpected bonus. “You get to see the hair color of the deputies who are bald,” she said. “I think they all looked great.”
In addition to DeSando, Meisenhelter and Johnson, the participating deputies were: Lt. Harry McKinney; Sgt. Kurt Hanson; Cpl. Robert Burkley; Cpl. Kevin Marvill; Deputies Paul Bryant, Ted Davis, Frank DeJesse, Robert Kearney, Dan McKeown, Tim Melody, David Reeves; and security officers Jose Mestre, Kevin Skymba and John Matos.