DOMINION, N.S. — Twice a week, a group of men in their 60s and 70s get together for a game of hockey at Dominion Arena in Dominion, N.S.
"We're the Huffer Puffers, we're an old-timers hockey team," said Donnie Vaters, one of the organizers of the hockey team.
However, during the month of November, the players' goal is something more than a friendly skate and a cold beer. They're raising money for the Movember campaign and prostate cancer awareness.
"Unfortunately, some of our family members were lost due to the disease," Vaters said. “So, we're putting out a challenge to all the hockey teams and everything else there, to get going and raise some money for this wonderful cause."
Many of the men have personal reasons to grow a moustache.
"Very, very close to home. My mother, cancer took her early at the age of 55. My brother-in-law just finished a bout of prostate cancer. [It was a] long treatment. He's OK now, thank God. But yeah, it's close to home," said hockey player Gary King.
For nearly 20 years, Movember has raised money and awareness for prostate cancer and men's health. The cause has brought in about $174 million worldwide.
"We're going to all donate $20 and at the end of it, I'll get my micrometre, and see who has the longest moustache," said Bill Delaney, who plays on the team. "They'll win a Kit Kat bar or something like that."
As is the standard practice for Movember, most of the men are starting the month clean-shaven. Come Nov. 30, some are sure to be sporting quite the moustaches.
"The challenge is out there, for all you guys and hockey players across the world," Vaters said.
By the end of Movember’s first day, the group had already raised more than $500.
