Three Hudson Park High School teachers have kissed the clean-shaven look goodbye for wild and woolly beards to raise funds for St Bernard’s Hospice.
And they say the good-natured ribbing, itchy chins and piqued spouses are a small price to pay for raising R50000 for an organisation that has helped their families and thousands of others through sad and difficult times.
English teachers Steve Anderson and Patrick Mulcahy, along with physical science teacher Gareth van Harmelen, are already sporting impressive facial fur after seven weeks.
They have about five months to go before they can lather up.
All three have been touched by the caring and support St Bernard’s afforded their loved ones as their lives slipped away.
“The people who work at hospice are angels who step in and care unconditionally in a family’s darkest hours. They do wonderful work in alleviating pain and helping family members to cope when a loved one is terminally ill,” said Anderson, whose father was cared for by hospice 20 years ago.
Since the trio was publicly shaved at morning assembly seven weeks ago, the school has raised R2000, but Anderson said pupils had until the end of the third term to reach the R50000 target, or even surpass it.
“We have permission from Nahoon, Quigney and Gonubie Spars for our pupils to collect at their doors with tins, so we hope people will support them.”
The hairy-faced teachers have been the subject of gentle ragging from their pupils – likened to hirsute Harry Potter character Hagrid, grizzly bears and cavemen.
“One of the Grade 9 pupils said I was grunting more,” said Mulcahy, whose father-in-law was helped by hospice a couple of years ago.
“They lent him a wheelchair when he had lung cancer and that uplifted him because it meant he could be mobile. Hospice made a big difference.”
Van Harmelen, whose father died last year, also has high praise for the palliative care facility which supported him.
The science teacher has taken to filching his wife’s shampoo and conditioner to keep roughness and itchiness at bay.
“She’s not too happy about that. The beard is now growing into my mouth, but we are not allowed to snip it. I don’t think the caveman look suits me.
“Also, people don’t recognise me and some of the teachers and children are having a go at us.”
Mulcahy said his overgrown face was costing him kisses.
“There’s more hand-holding than kissing now and my four-year-old son says ‘Daddy’s got sharps’ when I kiss him goodnight!”
But their discomfort will not be in vain. St Bernard’s Hospice general manager Rene Wienekus said the school’s initiative was “fantastic”.
“We are very touched,” said Wienekus. “We really need cash. We have 50 staff members and the health department only funds home-based care for HIV patients. We have to raise money to fund care for patients with other terminal illnesses, so we are desperate for money.” — barbarah@dispatch.co.za
Furry fundraiser inspires banter ...
And they say the good-natured ribbing, itchy chins and piqued spouses are a small price to pay for raising R50000 for an organisation that has helped their families and thousands of others through sad and difficult times.
English teachers Steve Anderson and Patrick Mulcahy, along with physical science teacher Gareth van Harmelen, are already sporting impressive facial fur after seven weeks.
They have about five months to go before they can lather up.
All three have been touched by the caring and support St Bernard’s afforded their loved ones as their lives slipped away.
“The people who work at hospice are angels who step in and care unconditionally in a family’s darkest hours. They do wonderful work in alleviating pain and helping family members to cope when a loved one is terminally ill,” said Anderson, whose father was cared for by hospice 20 years ago.
Since the trio was publicly shaved at morning assembly seven weeks ago, the school has raised R2000, but Anderson said pupils had until the end of the third term to reach the R50000 target, or even surpass it.
“We have permission from Nahoon, Quigney and Gonubie Spars for our pupils to collect at their doors with tins, so we hope people will support them.”
The hairy-faced teachers have been the subject of gentle ragging from their pupils – likened to hirsute Harry Potter character Hagrid, grizzly bears and cavemen.
“One of the Grade 9 pupils said I was grunting more,” said Mulcahy, whose father-in-law was helped by hospice a couple of years ago.
“They lent him a wheelchair when he had lung cancer and that uplifted him because it meant he could be mobile. Hospice made a big difference.”
Van Harmelen, whose father died last year, also has high praise for the palliative care facility which supported him.
The science teacher has taken to filching his wife’s shampoo and conditioner to keep roughness and itchiness at bay.
“She’s not too happy about that. The beard is now growing into my mouth, but we are not allowed to snip it. I don’t think the caveman look suits me.
“Also, people don’t recognise me and some of the teachers and children are having a go at us.”
Mulcahy said his overgrown face was costing him kisses.
“There’s more hand-holding than kissing now and my four-year-old son says ‘Daddy’s got sharps’ when I kiss him goodnight!”
But their discomfort will not be in vain. St Bernard’s Hospice general manager Rene Wienekus said the school’s initiative was “fantastic”.
“We are very touched,” said Wienekus. “We really need cash. We have 50 staff members and the health department only funds home-based care for HIV patients. We have to raise money to fund care for patients with other terminal illnesses, so we are desperate for money.” — barbarah@dispatch.co.za
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