Tribune Staff Reports

A $1,000 donation to Anchor House Family Assistance Center and Pantry could provide a week’s worth of fresh produce for pantry clients or help with needs that arise at the homeless shelter for families.

Take that times 10, and $10,000 would be raised for the nonprofit organization.

Hairless for the Homeless is Anchor House’s second-largest annual fundraiser, and 10 candidates are working toward raising $1,000 apiece.

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Fundraising started Sept. 1 for the candidates — Kathi Combs-Byrd, Mark Dennis, Tim Lush, Matt Nieman, Justin Poole, Brad Smith, Zach Spicer, Keegan Lohman, Justin Graham and Orlando Munoz.

The bounty is Rick Meyer, an Anchor House board member. If he raises at least $2,000 through the community, a donor has agreed to match his total.

If he doesn’t do that or the other candidates don’t reach the $1,000 mark, they will have to get their head shaved by Becky Morris and her team from The Buzz Hair Design Studio at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 5 during the Seymour Oktoberfest. The person raising the most money will have their head shaved, too.

Fundraising ends at 5 p.m. Oct. 5. People can donate online by visiting anchorhouseshelter.org, clicking on the “Donate” button, typing in the amount and putting the candidate’s name in the notes. Donations also may be dropped off at Anchor House, 250 S. Vine St., Seymour, or mailed to P.O. Box 765, Seymour, IN 47274.

“Right now, our pantry is struggling significantly,” said Stephanie Masters-Wheeler, executive director of Anchor House. “That right now is kind of high on our list of priorities is being able to provide fruits, veggies, milk, cheese, bread, meat. All of the nutritious stuff you can think of, we’re lacking. It’s things like (this fundraiser) that help our pantry and our shelter make ends meet.”

During a recent pantry day, she said more than 100 people came in to get food. It’s open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays and from noon to 5 p.m. Thursdays, and people can come once in a 30-day time period.

The added pantry day each week has caused Anchor House to use 45 percent of its out-of-pocket costs to stock the shelves with food.

“That’s a hefty amount for a nonprofit to pull out of their pocket to provide those things because we’re just not getting it donated,” Masters-Wheeler said.

The seven apartments for homeless families to use on a temporary basis also have maintenance needs.

“Just regular maintenance like you would have in any other apartment building, it’s constant, ongoing,” Masters-Wheeler said.

That’s why the timing of Hairless for the Homeless couldn’t be better.

Last year, the fundraiser brought in $24,156. Dr. John Hiester was the winner with $11,765 raised. He had his head shaved along with five others.

This year, Masters-Wheeler said the fundraising goal is $25,000. Money raised will go into Anchor House’s fundraising account to be used for whatever needs arise.

The contestants’ fundraising totals will be announced each week on Radio 96.3 WJAA, printed in The Tribune and shared on Anchor House’s Facebook page. No information on the amount of money raised will be shared in the last 24 hours before the head-shaving event.

“It really gets the community involved in a fun way,” Masters-Wheeler said. “To have somebody shave their head, that’s a lot to ask of somebody, especially if they are known in the community.”

Since she has only been in her position since mid-July, Masters-Wheeler said the fundraisers give her a chance to get a feel for local people’s willingness to help Anchor House. She was able to do that with the organization’s largest fundraiser, the annual golf outing.

“Sometimes, it’s easy for people to say, ‘Here’s $100 and we’ll sponsor a hole,’” she said of the golf outing. “These (Hairless for the Homeless contestants) are willing to take it one step further because you have to raise at least $1,000.”

Last year, even though some of the contestants exceeded $1,000, they agreed to have their head shaved. Plus, people attending the event gave donations to add to the total.

This is the fifth time for Anchor House to do Hairless for the Homeless as a fundraiser. The first one in 2001 raised $30,000, but the one in 2007 only brought in $8,000. The board then looked into other fundraiser possibilities and came up with a golf outing and a wrestling event.

The golf outing has been a success, but the wrestling event only brought in a couple thousand dollars. So in 2017, the board decided to drop the wrestling event and bring back Hairless for the Homeless.

Board members came together this year to suggest names of potential candidates, and they also asked regular supporters to have someone from their company participate.

“They are huge supporters of us anyway just in general,” Masters-Wheeler said. “They donated a lot toward the golf outing, so they are always in on whatever we are doing and are great supporters. Then just in general, Seymour knows this is an event that we hold annually, so when we call up somebody that is well-known, people are really good about helping us. They always try to help in every way they can.”

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Anchor House Family Assistance Center and Pantry is at 250 S. Vine St., Seymour.

Staffed shelter hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and from 6 to 10 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.

The food pantry is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays and from noon to 5 p.m. Thursdays. Clients must provide identification, and they can visit twice in a 30-day time period.

For information, call 812-522-9308 or visit anchorhouseshelter.org or facebook.com/ahfamilyassistancecenter.

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Anchor House Hairless for the Homeless contestants

Name;Representing

Kathi Combs-Byrd;Schuler Bauer Real Estate

Mark Dennis;Mark Dennis & Co., CPA Inc.

Tim Lush;Rose Acre Farms

Matt Nieman;Jackson County Community Theatre

Justin Poole;Skaggs Builders

Brad Smith;Smith’s Tire Sales

Zach Spicer;The Tribune

Keegan Lohman;Cummins Inc.

Justin Graham;Family Video

Orlando Munoz;Veterans

Rick Meyer;Jackson County Sheriff’s Department

The goal for the candidates is to raise at least $1,000. If they don’t, they will have their head shaved at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 5 during the Seymour Oktoberfest.

Meyer, an Anchor House board member, is the bounty and has to raise at least $2,000. If he does that, a donor has agreed to match his total.

The person raising the most money has to have their head shaved.

People can donate online by visiting anchorhouseshelter.org, clicking on the “Donate” button, typing in the amount and putting the candidate’s name in the notes. Donations also may be dropped off at Anchor House, 250 S. Vine St., Seymour, or mailed to P.O. Box 765, Seymour, IN 47274.

The deadline to contribute to the fundraiser is 5 p.m. Oct. 5.

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