Growing their Santa Claus beards
Photo by CHANSE WATSON/ Undersheriff Holly Lindsey does some shopping with members of the White family at Walmart.
Photo by CHANSE WATSON/ Civil clerk Kattie Ross (Center) also helps out the White family with shopping.
Photo courtesy of the SHOSHONE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE Sheriff Mike Gunderson smiles for the camera with the Strange family after shopping with them.
It’s normally against regulations for deputies at the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office to grow a full beard (or really any facial hair more than a mustache), but for the month of November, exceptions were made for a good cause.
SCSO Undersheriff Holly Lindsey explains that the idea for No-Shave November was first pitched by Detention Capitan Lance Stutzke, as he thought it would be popular with the staff.
The catch to keep their facial hair: each deputy had to donate $40 to the beard fund. The money raised would be spent on Shoshone County families in need during the holiday season.
It turned out that the idea was a hit at the office and ended up having 17 different deputies donate to the fund. Throughout the month, the then-hairier deputies were encouraged to get people to donate to their beard fund.
On top of raising money for families in need, deputies were motivated to get donations because whoever raised the most money would be allowed to keep their beard an additional month.
“Originally, we were going to allow the non-participating deputies to vote on the best beard,” Lindsey explained, “but since the top three competitors raised close to $1,000 a piece, the Sheriff decided to declare all of them winners.”
Detention Sgt. Eli Lopez, Cpt. Jeremy Groves, and Deputy Dan McHenry were the ones who earned the honor of keeping their face a little warmer in December.
By the end of November, the entire office had raised more than $3,000.
On Dec. 23, these funds were used when deputies took a trip to Walmart in Smelterville.
“All of us, no matter who we are or where we are at in life, we all have struggles from time to time and need some help. Some of those struggles can completely turn our world upside-down and we need a community to help us get back on our feet. Recognizing that, it was our pleasure to ensure a plentiful Christmas for two of our local families who are currently going through some of those life struggles,” Lindsey said in a Facebook post. “It was an amazing experience, and don’t tell the Sheriff I said this, but I’ve never seen him smile so much as he did when he took the families shopping.”
The Strange and White families were given the opportunity to purchase clothing and toys. The kids in the families were also allowed to each purchase one gift for each of their parents.
These families were brought to the attention of the Sheriff’s Offices by citizens in the community.
“The citizens read our earlier posts about No-Shave November and felt these families could benefit,” Lindsey said.
SCSO hopes to make No-Shave November a tradition and do it again next year.