Our Mission: Tri-County Beard & Mustache Society members hope to enrich the lives of others; specifically through music, friendship, and facial hair festivities.
Our Vision: To support our youth and music programs in our communities, specifically low income students who have a desire to participate in music programs or the playing of an instrument, and cannot financially afford to do so. By providing our local students with avenues to explore their musical creativity throughout their youth, their interest in music education will continue to grow.
What kind of Non-Profit?
Tri-County Beard & Mustache Society decided that our youth needs all the help we can give them in regards to musical education. We've found that many local students are interested in playing an instrument, even if not offered at the school, or taking private lessons, but cannot afford to do so. We’d like to help lessen the financial burden of those students who have the desire to pursue a musical education, in whichever avenue they may choose.
With that in mind, a couple of the services we provide our local students include, but are not limited to, the purchase of an instrument for the school band, as well as stringed instruments and even repair. We can help provide guitar strings, pads, reeds and the like, for students in need for their instruments. Needing banjo, flute, or piano lessons? We can help! We’re currently working on stocking our "instrument closet" and repairing donated instruments that we have received so students can borrow an instrument for the school year. But first things first.
How did this begin?
One dreary evening in the fall of 2014, this all started with a stroke of the beard-- like all great ideas do. Actually, my wife and I were playing some Skip-Bo and listening to music, all while discussing how disappointed we were that not a single one of our three children played an instrument in the school band. I never participated in band. However, my wife was in concert band from her 3rd grade year in elementary school until she graduated high school, and participated in marching and pep band throughout, and now plays in the Lapel Community Band.
Even with my love of music and her instrumental abilities, we struck out. Our children weren't the slightest bit interested in learning how to play an instrument. Fine. I could understand that. I personally wasn't interested in playing an instrument until I met my wife. (She encouraged me to buy my first guitar about six years ago, Barbara, and I still have yet to completely learn how to play her.) As the night rolled along, it became obvious to us that there was a lack of interest in general regarding local music and programs in our communities. We had lived in our small town for over two years before we even knew that a community band existed!
The question became what could we do to help bring the musical interest back to those in our community? I gave my beard a stroke, an idea was born, and I knew exactly what we needed to do. A non-profit beard club. A club for facial hair enthusiasts. A club for facial hair enthusiasts that love music and/or play music. I was on to something. The wife caught on rather quickly that I had incorporated my beard into the scenario, but surprisingly, she loved the idea, so I took off running with it. Do you think she will be upset that she'll never get to see my chin again? I don't think she considered that…
UPDATE: I shaved the middle of my beard to the skin for the Chops category for a charity beard competition in April of 2017. It’s slowly growing back in, but the wife told me I had the ugliest chin she’s ever seen- so the beard is safe!
We quickly roped our comrades, Josh and Ashley, in to join us on this endeavor, and they agreed. I’m not sure any of us knew what adventures would lie ahead! At first, we were so excited we wanted to cover the whole state, an Indiana beard and mustache club. Negative. Too large of an area to cover, especially just starting out. Maybe one day. Next, it became Seven County Beard and Mustache Society, serving Indiana counties Madison, and the six surrounding counties. Nope. Still too large of an area to cover. We finally settled on Tri-County Beard & Mustache Society, serving Indiana counties Madison, Hancock, and Henry. We were officially established on November 12, 2014.
Why these three counties?
We reside in Madison County, Indiana, and we feel it's only appropriate to serve the community in which we live. That should be a given. As for Hancock and Henry, I have been employed in Hancock county for several years and our family has also lived several years in Henry county. In addition, the majority of our potential members and fellas with facial hair are musicians that reside, perform, and are employed in the above-mentioned counties.
Want to join Tri-County Beard & Mustache Society?
Don't worry. You don't have to be a musician with a beard to be a member, nor do you have to reside or work in any of the counties mentioned above. Facial Hair is NOT required! Heck, you don't even have to be a male. I've seen my wife's mustache glistening in the sunlight a time or two. It may not be prominent, and she may deny it, but it's there! The women compete with us as well at competitions! They are known as Whiskerinas. They create their beards out of random objects like feathers, apple peels, theatre Fcandy, etc. Pretty much anything! You just have to be 21 or older and a facial hair enthusiast that loves music and is willing and able to help spread the joy that music, friendship, and facial hair festivities bring!!
Keep it growing!
We are happy to recruit those who may be interested in joining us for this adventure. We are always looking for new members and volunteers, as well as those who would want to compete in facial hair competitions on Tri-County Beard & Mustache Society's behalf.
We look forward to being more involved in our communities, as well as meeting an assortment of people from all different walks of life through this organization. We too often take for granted the friendships we create and fail to maintain them. We truly hope Tri-County Beard & Mustache Society will enrich the lives of those involved, as well as those we help. Thank you all in advance for your time, donations, commitment to our communities, love of music, and last, but certainly not least, your enthusiasm for fantastic facial hair and the festivities that will follow!
For the love of music, keep it growing!
Jeremiah Crafton
President
Our Vision: To support our youth and music programs in our communities, specifically low income students who have a desire to participate in music programs or the playing of an instrument, and cannot financially afford to do so. By providing our local students with avenues to explore their musical creativity throughout their youth, their interest in music education will continue to grow.
What kind of Non-Profit?
Tri-County Beard & Mustache Society decided that our youth needs all the help we can give them in regards to musical education. We've found that many local students are interested in playing an instrument, even if not offered at the school, or taking private lessons, but cannot afford to do so. We’d like to help lessen the financial burden of those students who have the desire to pursue a musical education, in whichever avenue they may choose.
With that in mind, a couple of the services we provide our local students include, but are not limited to, the purchase of an instrument for the school band, as well as stringed instruments and even repair. We can help provide guitar strings, pads, reeds and the like, for students in need for their instruments. Needing banjo, flute, or piano lessons? We can help! We’re currently working on stocking our "instrument closet" and repairing donated instruments that we have received so students can borrow an instrument for the school year. But first things first.
How did this begin?
One dreary evening in the fall of 2014, this all started with a stroke of the beard-- like all great ideas do. Actually, my wife and I were playing some Skip-Bo and listening to music, all while discussing how disappointed we were that not a single one of our three children played an instrument in the school band. I never participated in band. However, my wife was in concert band from her 3rd grade year in elementary school until she graduated high school, and participated in marching and pep band throughout, and now plays in the Lapel Community Band.
Even with my love of music and her instrumental abilities, we struck out. Our children weren't the slightest bit interested in learning how to play an instrument. Fine. I could understand that. I personally wasn't interested in playing an instrument until I met my wife. (She encouraged me to buy my first guitar about six years ago, Barbara, and I still have yet to completely learn how to play her.) As the night rolled along, it became obvious to us that there was a lack of interest in general regarding local music and programs in our communities. We had lived in our small town for over two years before we even knew that a community band existed!
The question became what could we do to help bring the musical interest back to those in our community? I gave my beard a stroke, an idea was born, and I knew exactly what we needed to do. A non-profit beard club. A club for facial hair enthusiasts. A club for facial hair enthusiasts that love music and/or play music. I was on to something. The wife caught on rather quickly that I had incorporated my beard into the scenario, but surprisingly, she loved the idea, so I took off running with it. Do you think she will be upset that she'll never get to see my chin again? I don't think she considered that…
UPDATE: I shaved the middle of my beard to the skin for the Chops category for a charity beard competition in April of 2017. It’s slowly growing back in, but the wife told me I had the ugliest chin she’s ever seen- so the beard is safe!
We quickly roped our comrades, Josh and Ashley, in to join us on this endeavor, and they agreed. I’m not sure any of us knew what adventures would lie ahead! At first, we were so excited we wanted to cover the whole state, an Indiana beard and mustache club. Negative. Too large of an area to cover, especially just starting out. Maybe one day. Next, it became Seven County Beard and Mustache Society, serving Indiana counties Madison, and the six surrounding counties. Nope. Still too large of an area to cover. We finally settled on Tri-County Beard & Mustache Society, serving Indiana counties Madison, Hancock, and Henry. We were officially established on November 12, 2014.
Why these three counties?
We reside in Madison County, Indiana, and we feel it's only appropriate to serve the community in which we live. That should be a given. As for Hancock and Henry, I have been employed in Hancock county for several years and our family has also lived several years in Henry county. In addition, the majority of our potential members and fellas with facial hair are musicians that reside, perform, and are employed in the above-mentioned counties.
Want to join Tri-County Beard & Mustache Society?
Don't worry. You don't have to be a musician with a beard to be a member, nor do you have to reside or work in any of the counties mentioned above. Facial Hair is NOT required! Heck, you don't even have to be a male. I've seen my wife's mustache glistening in the sunlight a time or two. It may not be prominent, and she may deny it, but it's there! The women compete with us as well at competitions! They are known as Whiskerinas. They create their beards out of random objects like feathers, apple peels, theatre Fcandy, etc. Pretty much anything! You just have to be 21 or older and a facial hair enthusiast that loves music and is willing and able to help spread the joy that music, friendship, and facial hair festivities bring!!
Keep it growing!
We are happy to recruit those who may be interested in joining us for this adventure. We are always looking for new members and volunteers, as well as those who would want to compete in facial hair competitions on Tri-County Beard & Mustache Society's behalf.
We look forward to being more involved in our communities, as well as meeting an assortment of people from all different walks of life through this organization. We too often take for granted the friendships we create and fail to maintain them. We truly hope Tri-County Beard & Mustache Society will enrich the lives of those involved, as well as those we help. Thank you all in advance for your time, donations, commitment to our communities, love of music, and last, but certainly not least, your enthusiasm for fantastic facial hair and the festivities that will follow!
For the love of music, keep it growing!
Jeremiah Crafton
President