Anchor House announces Hairless for the Homeless participants

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All the buzz at this year’s Seymour Oktoberfest will happen on the second night on the South Stage.

Eleven people have agreed to put their locks on the line by participating in Anchor House Family Assistance Center and Pantry’s annual Hairless for the Homeless fundraiser.

There are 11 candidates who have to raise a minimum of $1,000 to be safe from having their heads shaved: Karen Battin, Chandra Campbell, Steve Deweese, Kaylee Heilman, Amy Hiester, Eddie Murphy, Matt Nicholson, Andy Rumph, Cody Schryer, Autumn Welch and Kenna White.

Murphy, however, has set a personal goal of raising $5,000.

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This year’s bounty is Bob Tabeling, who will have to shave his head if every candidate meets their goal.

The six women this year is the most in the history of the fundraiser.

“In previous years, whoever raised the most also had to shave their head. This year, we cut that out because we wanted more women to get involved,” said Megan Cherry, executive director of Anchor House, which offers temporary shelter for homeless families with children and a food pantry twice a week for community members in need.

“To do that, we needed to have more of a guarantee that they had a safe zone, so if they raise $1,000, they are safe. All of the women that we have involved have said, ‘We’ll make sure we have $1,000 so we don’t have any chance of that,'” Cherry said, smiling. “We definitely want them to go above and beyond that if they can, but definitely once they hit that $1,000 mark, they are going to be safe.”

The fundraiser kicked off Sunday and runs through 5 p.m. Oct. 3. People can donate online through PayPal by visiting anchorhouseshelter.org, clicking on “Click here to donate,” typing in the amount and putting the candidate’s name in the notes. Cash and checks also may be dropped off at Anchor House, 250 S. Vine St., Seymour, or mailed to P.O. Box 765, Seymour, IN 47274.

At 9 a.m. Fridays, starting this week, Cherry will share the fundraising totals for each candidate on Radio 96.3 WJAA. Plus, she will post the standings on Anchor House’s Facebook page and in The Tribune.

After 5 p.m. Oct. 3, only Cherry will know the totals until they are announced on the South Stage at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 4 during Oktoberfest.

“I don’t put out any amounts, so it’s a mystery,” Cherry said of the silent time. “Everybody just keeps bringing in the money, so nobody knows the real standings besides me until we get there Friday night.”

This will be Cherry’s first time overseeing the fundraiser because she didn’t start at Anchor House until this past spring.

“It’s exciting and also nerve-racking, too, because you put a lot of faith in these people that they are going to go out and fund raise,” she said. “But I know we’ve picked a really good group, and I think that they are going to do awesome.”

Last year’s total was $24,458.60, which was the second-largest in the history of Hairless for the Homeless. The first one in 2001 raised $30,000, while $24,156 was collected in 2017.

“I have some expectations to meet, but I have faith in our candidates, and I know that they are going to do well and they are going to come through for Anchor House,” Cherry said.

This year’s Anchor House golf outing brought in more than $24,000, Cherry said. Proceeds from the golf outing and Hairless for the Homeless are used for shelter and pantry expenses that aren’t covered by emergency shelter grants.

“It really goes a long way in helping us make sure that our guests can stay here at no cost, and so it allows us to be able to provide them all of their needs,” Cherry said.

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Anchor House Hairless for the Homeless contestants

Name;Representing

Karen Battin;Anchor House board of directors

Chandra Campbell;Jackson County Toolbox

Steve Deweese;Actors Community Theater of Seymour

Kaylee Heilman;All Star Paving/JCB

Amy Hiester;Anchor House board of directors/Woodlawn Family Funeral Centre

Eddie Murphy;SpaceGuard Products

Matt Nicholson;City of Seymour/B2 Bikes and Boards

Andy Rumph;Woodlawn Family Funeral Centre

Cody Schryer;Aisin

Autumn Welch;Anchor House program director

Kenna White;Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Indiana Realty

Bob Tabeling;City of Seymour/Parks and Recreation Department

The goal for each candidate is to raise at least $1,000. If they don’t, they will have their head shaved at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 4 during the Seymour Oktoberfest.

Tabeling, an Anchor House board member, is the bounty and will have to shave his head if every candidate meets their goal.

Murphy has set a personal goal of raising $5,000.

Donations can be made online through PayPal by visiting anchorhouseshelter.org, clicking on “Click here to donate,” typing in the amount and putting the candidate’s name in the notes. Cash and checks 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. 3.

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