Towamencin Police Officers Participate In 'No Shave November' Holiday Fundraiser For Needy

TOWAMENCIN, PA — A handful of police officers from one local department are getting into the holiday spirit a little early this year with participation in a contest that will help raise money for those in need.

The Towamencin Township Police Department announced recently that a small number of its officers are participating in the “No Shave November Trivia Fundraiser” as a way to raise money for a nonprofit organization called Operation Nine Reindeer, Inc., which helps deliver gifts to families of limited means who are in need during the holiday season.

The department last week posted a Facebook status update complete with a first round of pictures of those officers who are “letting it grow” for a good cause.

“We will add periodic picture updates so you can see the progress as we work towards growing beards and our donation amount to Operation Nine Reindeer,” the police departed stated in its post.

The department said categories for this year’s beard-growing contest will include “Best Beard Overall,” “A For Effort,” and “Santa’s Stand-in,” which is the category for whitest beard grown.

Even the top dog is getting into the spirit; Chief Tim Troxel was named among those who are participating in the contest.

The other members of the force who are participating in the contest are as follows: Officers Seider, Hagan, Tomaszewski, Gibbas, Check, Wood and Konig.

According to its website, Operation Nine Reindeer is a tax-exempt charitable organization that since 2012 has been choosing local families to help out during the holiday season.

The organization provides various support such as helping families with their home heating bills; providing relief from medical bills, insurance needs, mortgage and rent payments, and utility bills; and providing needy individuals with new tires for their vehicles.

The group says that as of today, it has surprised 28 families throughout Montgomery, Chester and Berks Counties with charitable offerings, and that it hopes to grow bigger each year.

“We have also embodied our vision to include many mini surprise missions throughout the year, anonymously – just like Saint Nicholas would have done!” the group wrote on its website.