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Stache Crawl honors friend and raises funds for local charity

July 19, 2018

For people who think they saw a lot of mustaches around Dewey Beach July 14, it wasn't a hipster convention, it was the 12th Annual Stache Crawl. Started as a small tribute by nearly 25 friends 12 years ago, the event has grown into an annual Dewey Beach tradition and fundraiser, in memory of Kellen Poultney, who died suddenly in 2006. His memory lives on through this loving tribute each year.

About 750 crawlers turned out, donning a variety of mustaches to make their way through participating Dewey Beach establishments, with the Starboard as their home base. Participants sported the Stache Crawl T-shirts with an ornate, welcoming pineapple, and embodied the carefree, loving spirit of Poultney.

His friend Chad Minix works behind the scenes each year to make the event happen in order to donate to the KJP Foundation. Minix said, “Everyone from the KJP Foundation is a volunteer, so 100 percent of the proceeds from the event go to the charity, with a specific focus on education for local children and support for local families that could use a little help. I know Kellen would be proud of that.”

All donations from the KJP Foundation go to families anonymously. It is the humble nature of everything surrounding the Stache Crawl that makes it such a loving way to honor Poultney’s memory. His mother, Connie, feels that this an essential piece of the weekend and the foundation. For her, it’s about feeling the joy that existed in her son, personified through this special event. She said, “This event was born, not from the loss of Kellen, but from his intense zest for life. As years go by in grief, we fear, or are saddened, that our loved one’s memory is forgotten or faded. [Through this event] we feel extremely fortunate that our son’s awesome spirit continues to make a difference.”

The day was filled with fun, food and drink and, of course, mustaches of all varieties. At the end of the day, awards were doled out for the best mustaches, which were submitted via social media. This year’s event raised over $15,000 for the KJP Foundation.

Steve “Monty” Montgomery, owner of the Starboard, says events like this get right to the heart of the type of fundraisers he likes to do. He said, “When there is this kind of meaning behind the fun, that’s when it really all comes together. We’re having a good time, but making a difference for local families, and that’s what community is all about.”

 

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