13th Annual Mustache Bash raises money for child burn victims

SOUTH BEND, Ind. --- The Mustache Bash crew came together for the annual Mustache Bash at Corby’s Pub on Saturday evening.

The participants had 30 days to grow out their best mustaches and show them off at Saturday’s event—all in the name of helping children.

In February, participants shaved it all off to start with a fresh face at the annual Shave-In event.

“To be able to do this, knowing it benefits kids, it hits home,” Tony Nichols said, Engineer with Clay Fire.

The Mustache Bash is a non-profit made up of Northern Indiana Firefighters raising money for children of the Great Lakes Burn Camp.

There is now a new generation of firefighters taking over the Mustache Bash crew, hoping to carry on the tradition.

“At least hit what they raised last year, but anything beyond that I’ll be ecstatic,” Bailey Capron said, Engineer with Clay Fire.

“We’d always want to go above and beyond our last goal, so we’re trying to raise more than $10,000,” Nichols said.

The 1950’s themed bash included fun costumes, mustache awards and a chance to win items up for auction.

All of the money raised at the annual Mustache Bash event is donated to the children of the Great Lakes Burn Camp.

“To be able to fund some of these kids that go to camp…it means a lot,” Jeromy Gerndt said, Engineer with Clay Fire.

The crew raised $3,150 at the Shave-In in February and hoped to top the more than $10,000 raised in 2019 on Saturday evening.

“Part of our job is just trying to help people in the best we can and this just kind of another way for us outside of work to help more people,” Capron said.

As the event continues to grow, the group looks forward to the future possibilities as they carry on the tradition.

“I’m most looking forward to just seeing the kids be kids and kind of forgetting about whatever their conditions are at the moment and just being kids,” said Capron.

The Mustache Bash crew will get a chance to visit the Great Lakes Burn Camp for the first time this summer to see what all of their work is doing for the children.