Gastonia Police Department’s No-Shave November raised about $3,000 this year for Special Olympics North Carolina. During the fundraiser participants donate $40 to SONC and hand out a flyer about the campaign to anyone asking about their growing facial hair.
“It’s a fun opportunity and it’s for a great cause,” said Sgt. Scott Norton, GPD’s Special Olympics fund-raising committee chairman.
The mission of SONC is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community.
GPD’s Special Olympics Fundraising Committee members include Emily Burr, Laura Burton, Nancy Brogdon, Thomas Doby, Cody Edge, Adam Hudson, Stephanie Jamoulis, Sgt. Eric Nelson, Jackie Quinley and David Whitlock.
Anyone interested in making a donation to SONC in honor of the Gastonia Police Department may do so online at http://sonc.net/give/. Also Chief Robert Helton has approved extending the No Shave fundraiser through the month of December with proceeds in December going directly to Sgt. Doug Carpenter and his wife, Leigh Anne, who will be undergoing an unknown number of organ transplants. The No Shave participation cost is the same, $40, and Sgt. Norton and Officer Quinley are the contacts. There is a Go Fund Me page for the Carpenters at https://gofundme.com/doug-and-leigh-ann-carpenter