Opportunities to get involved with the men’s health initiative this Movember
The Mt.A Movember Society is back for its second year and ready for a month of campaigns and events! Kicking off with a lengthy moustache competition, the Movember Society invites everyone, moustache or not, to join the fun. From fundraising runs to an end-of-November party, there are numerous opportunities to get involved.
Movember is a men’s health initiative that focuses on funding research for mental health, prostate and testicular cancer, and suicide prevention. The movement started two decades ago with the idea of men growing out their moustaches for the month of November to spread awareness about men’s health. Since then, the Movember movement has gone global, with billions of dollars raised for cancer and suicide prevention research and programs.
The Movember Society at Mt.A started last year and organized a portfolio of events that they are reviving for 2026. There is a $5 membership fee that goes towards the Movember Canada organization along with all other donations. In an interview with The Argosy, Movember’s public relations director, Will Stott, discussed upcoming events for the year, such as the moustache competition.
“This year we decided to do two competitions, one for current students, and then one for alumni as well. The prize for each is a $15 gift card to cafes in Sackville,” Stott explained. Participants must begin the competition with a clean shave. “And you can’t have stubble; it’s got to be right down to like, no moustache,” Stott said. Participants will then send in progress photos weekly to prove that the moustache started at the beginning of the month. However, more participants are still welcome to pay the membership fee and join the competition later on.
Another weekly event is the society’s collaboration with the Mt.A Wellness Centre: Movember Mondays. Movember Mondays promote wellness tips and resources available at the Wellness Centre, especially those that support men’s health and mental health. This includes promotion of services such as wellness planning, counselling services, and social work services.
The Movember Society is planning to bring back the Movember Fundraising Run later in the month. The run spans five kilometres with a $15 entrance fee that goes towards the group’s Movember donations. Last year, the society collaborated with Sackville’s local Bagtown Brewery and offered a free pint for running with the group. All community members are invited to participate, regardless of their moustache-growing ability.
“[The Movember Society] may be something that is supporting men’s health and mental health, but it’s something where we would appreciate and love everyone’s support. So, it doesn’t matter if you’re planning to grow a moustache or not, if you’re a guy or not, we can really appreciate the donations. It’s all going towards a good cause,” said Stott. “The moustache competition is a fun way to get some people involved in it, but we want it to be so much more than that as well.” Stott also noted that learning about the cause and fundraising are other ways to get involved with the Movember Society.
Community members are welcome to sign up on the Movember Society’s Instagram or donate directly through the link in their Instagram bio.
The final event of the month is the Movember Party, which occurs at the end of November and invites everyone to join the cause if they have not previously. There is a $5 cover fee for those who have not already paid a membership fee, promoting more involvement and donations. The party celebrates the winners and runner-ups of the moustache competition and creates a fun space for students before finals season in December.
Although the date and location are not yet picked out, further details will be posted on the Mt.A Movember Society social media in the coming weeks.
“The initiatives that we look to support go so far beyond just the month of November,” Stott said. “November is kind of our big month for that, but it’s not something that should just stop there.” The Movember Society has plans to continue its work throughout the school year, promoting discussions about men’s health and raising more money and awareness towards the cause.
“Whether you’re taking part in the moustache competition or not, we want to be inviting and inclusive to everyone, and we just really appreciate people supporting the great cause,” Stott said. “We hope to see this continue in the future, because I think it’s so important that we have this space where we can not only talk about these issues that so many men face, but also, how we can raise money and raise awareness.”
For more information about the Movember Society, check out their instagram at @mtamovembersociety and stay tuned for future events and information.