Mustaches of many varieties came together Tuesday night at Urban Pizza Co., 1501 Monroe St., to raise money for terminally ill children.
Mustaches for Kids Madison is in its inaugural season and hosted a mustache-growing competition to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Wisconsin.
Participants shaved their faces clean on March 1 and had until last night to grow the best mustache possible.
Mustaches for Kids Madison co-coordinator Matthew Allen said the group got the idea for the fundraiser from a Seattle website.
The first portion of the competition highlighted the participants' costumes that resembled the identity of their mustache.
Costumes featured Officer Dangle from \Reno 911,"" a high school basketball coach, and three Magnum P.I.s.
A question-and-answer session followed the costume judging.
""If your mustache were an animal, what would it be and why?"" asked event emcee Monte Driscoll.
Contestants' answers drew laughs from the audience and the judges.
The third round featured a beer retention competition.
Contestants had 30 seconds to see how much foam their mustache could hold. Many contestants poured the foam all over their faces to gain advantage in the round.
The fourth part was a mustache pose-down. Contestants posed creatively in front of judges to make the best impression possible for the final decision.
Judge Marte Wetzel is a barber, and was excited to be a part of the competition.
""I wonder if anyone had the gumption and time to grow a handle bar mustache,"" Wetzel said.
Scott Graff came out victorious with the mustache of the year.
Graff dressed up as a high school basketball coach and said he cannot wait for next year's competition.
""It feels great to stand here in front of all my mustache brethren,"" Graff said.
Judge Kim Kotecki is a Volunteer Wish Granter for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Wisconsin. She said the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Wisconsin helps around 200 children every year.
Kotecki added that one wish in particular touched her very deeply.
A 16-year-old boy who loved Magic the Gathering had the opportunity to travel to Seattle with his family to meet and play against the creators of his favorite game. He died three days later.
She said it is events like this that help out children like him.
""It's so great doing this knowing how important that one special wish is to a child,"" Kotecki said.
The total amount raised by the event is just under $3,000. Josh Cirilli raised the most individually with $580.
Mustaches for Kids Madison said it is the kind of charity that takes over one's heart-not unlike the way a sweet mustache takes over one's face.
