Biggest Ever Maovember Event Aims to Fund Library Project, Kicks Off Oct 14

Beijing Boyce has announced that this year's Maovember event will kick off this Friday, October 14, 2pm-late, at XL Bar. Alternatively, you can also support the worthy cause at our 2016 Pizza Fest this Saturday and Sunday at Wangjing Soho. See the growing Maovember event schedule here.

It's not November yet but the proverbial stubble is already starting to grow for Maovember, the Beijing-based, month-long charity event that aims to raise money via a full schedule of events at local bars (not to mention a lip full of facial hair, of course, for the participants).

Spearheaded by Jim Boyce of Beijing Boyce and Grape Wall of China fame, the event has grown bushier and bushier each year, both in terms of venue particpation and money raised. “Maovember’s a good cause because it believes in the power of the community and the idea that many small donations can lead to big results,” Boyce says, adding that its other key attribute is transparency, allowing people to see how much money was raised at each event and how it will be used by checking the event's website. Boyce cited examples like donations to furnish a migrant children school’s library for RMB 22,000 in 2013, or funds to cataract surgeries for the rural poor for RMB 800 per operation in 2014 and 15. He adds: “We want people to know how the money was raised and how it was used.”

Zach Lewison, another Maovember organizer and committee members, tells the Beijinger that the event is "a fun way for us to give back to China and Beijing. By putting on fun events we forgo the stuffy dinners and fancy fundraisers, and do things people love like beer pong and cornhole and quizzes. And when it's all said and done, we raise money and see the results. It's something that is very special to me and everyone involved."

The event was originally inspired by a similar November charity called Movember, founded in Australia by a charity who used the growing of a mustache to raise awareness about men's health issues, but has since taken on a life of its own in Beijing.

The “mao” in the Beijing version refers to the coins worth one 10th of a yuan, the idea being that even small amounts of cash can add up to make a big difference (read more about how Maovember got started here).

The organization is entirely volunteer driven, and this year's designated charities are The Library Project, which helps support migrant children's schools, and GoodWorks, which trains developmentally challenged late-teen orphans for jobs in the coffee trade (and was co-founded by the recently deceased Samuel Cornthwaite). The Beijinger is a proud sponsor of the event.

Also different from previous Maovembers is this year's schedule, which has been shifted from the calendar month of November to the period of October 14 to November 19, to take advantage of warmer weather and to avoid conflict with the busy year-end holiday season.

Boyce says funds are raised via pin sales, events such as quizzes, wine tastings and poker, beer pong, and cornhole tournaments, as well as personal donations. "These events put the 'fun' in fundraising ... There's just a lot of creativity that comes out through Maovember that I love to see and love to join," says Boyce.

Lewison says the pin sales are key to the event, explaining that they are "sold at different bars, restaurants, and events by Maovember. They are RMB 50 and all the money goes to the charity. Several places do specials for people who come in wearing the pin, so it's the must have fall accessory for bar and mustache lovers."

This year's schedule is already shaping up nicely, with events scheduled for October 29 at the Irish Volunteer/Hockey Bar, November 4 at Jing-A Taproom, November 12 at The Tiki Bungalow, and November 18 at Paddy O'Shea's. Also planning events this year are Arrow Factory, Beer Mania, Cafe de la Poste, Cheers, Home Plate BBQ, La Cava de Laoma, Migas, Pop-Up Beijing, among others.

Paddy O'Shea's manager Paul Rochon says he's more than happy to have his bar partake in the venue, adding: "I like Maovember because it's a very understandable charity. I mean, you know very fast and very openly where the money is going, which is important for me ... Maovember is a perfect way to make all the Beijing F&B works together through a common cause. That help to keep us connected."

On top of that, Rochon is also eager to see all the funny lip fuzz adorning the participants' faces, saying with a laugh: "Remember: with great mustaches come great responsibility!"

If you want to get involved as a volunteer, event host or pin-selling point, email nihao@maovember.com or WeChat Jim Boyce (beijingboyce) or Zach Lewison (beijingchefzach).

More stories by this author here.
Email: kylemullin@truerun.com
Twitter: @MulKyle
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Images courtesy of Jim Boyce