21 March 2018
Chappy puts beard on the line for more hours
Posted in Chaplaincy
For some men, parting with their facial hair is out of the question. For others, like Chappy Dave from Pine Rivers State High School and his locally famous wild bushman beard, all it took was a desire to better serve his school community.
“I wanted to raise money to add more chaplaincy hours at Pine Rivers,” said Chappy Dave, who is currently at the school three days a week.
“I wanted to raise enough to have a chaplain seven days a week at the school between two chaplains.”
Chappy Dave said with 1300 students, more than 100 staff, representing about 1000 families, there was a clear need for another chaplain and more chaplaincy hours.
“The school chaplaincy role and demand are so broad. I could work one or two days a week on community development and wider care of families before even setting foot in the school,” he said.
“Two chaplains could easily work seven combined days, divvying up the duties according to their strengths, and serving the school in a way that achieves some of the massive potential in any chaplaincy service.”
The fundraising shave, which has raised $8000 and counting, was even more special because one of Chappy Dave’s past students, Mitch, was the lucky one wielding the clippers and cut-throat razor.
“I initially grew it for a concert I was going to with some mates,” he recalled, reclined in the barber’s chair at Headz Up Barber Shop in Strathpine.
“The band was called The Beards and I thought, ‘I can’t go to see The Beards without a beard’ so I grew it. That was in February 2016.”
And grow it did! It became Chappy Dave’s identifying feature for staff and students.
“If anyone new wanted to know who Chappy Dave was, they’d say, ‘Just look for the beard!’ I’m really going to blend into the crowd now,” he laughed, “and that’s not a bad thing.”
“Many students don’t know who I am until I start speaking, and then it’s a real surprise. ‘Oh wow! You look so different’ is a common response.
“The general but certainly not the unanimous opinion is that I look heaps better. I apparently look anywhere from 10 to 20 years younger.”
People can and still are donating to “Shave Dave”. Donate to Chappy Dave’s clean-shaven efforts by visiting championyourchappy.everydayhero.com/au/shave-dave
