WHITEHALL, Ohio — It's the talk of the firehouse: One Whitehall firefighter has quite the mustache and he's hoping that 'stache can help a charity near and dear to his heart.
“If I'm not talking about CrossFit or my faith, I'm talking about my mustache,” said Shawn Stauffer.
Stauffer has the upper lip when it comes to ‘staches. He’s hoping it’s good enough to win a social media-based competition for Salty Stache.
Stauffer has made it to the top 12 in a mustache competition. Each of the finalists gets a month in a calendar to raise money for charity.
Voting for your favorite lip tickler is open now through Saturday night.
“Every time I see my mustache, that's what I think about, what I've become,” Stauffer explains.
For Stauffer it's not just about looks, it's about soul. Like many first responders, he suffered from PTSD and was an alcoholic.
He started growing out his facial hair when he got sober.
“There's a special place in my heart for the bridge” Stauffer said.
The First Responder's Bridge, that is. The nonprofit that helped him through his struggles. Now Stauffer wants to help The Bridge.
“That's my number one goal of why I want to win this,” he said.
The proceeds of his win will be donated to the group.
While he hopes you get a laugh at his caterpillar, face fitting, lip toupee, or whatever nickname you have, he's serious about the cause that spurred whiskers growth.
“I don't have any other why, that's why I want to win,” Stauffer said.