LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — It's the season of giving and one Lancaster County nonprofit wants to make sure first responders who dedicate their lives to serve and protect us, also receive support in a time of need.
Beards for Brothers, a fundraiser that started 10 years ago, raises money to support first responders and their immediate families in their fight against cancer.
William Watt, the founder of Beards for Brothers, started the fundraiser after his own experience with cancer.
“In 2013 I was diagnosed with testicular cancer and went through the process," said Watt.
"I came up with the idea of Beards for Brothers with the intention of raising money for men's health awareness."
In 2014 he went to his Chief of Police and asked permission to waive their established facial hair policy for November. Officers were then granted permission to grow a beard for the fundraiser in exchange for a minimum donation of $25. The money raised that year was donated to Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Institute in Lancaster.
Then the fundraiser grew into raising money for specific first responders dealing with cancer.
"What we want to do for them is just take that financial burden away," said Watt.
Over the last 10 years, they've raised about $120,000. It's something that's grown to reach several different emergency departments. And just recently, they became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
"Being able to raise the money and having so much community support, we not only donate to our first responders, but we also donate to A Week Away Foundation," said Watt.
Each year the organization raises money for a few recipients.
This November, Beards of Brothers is helping two individuals in their fight against cancer:
Myles Hoffman has been serving Columbia Borough and the surrounding area as a volunteer firefighter for Columbia Borough Fire Department, Station 80, for the last four years.
On June 1, 2024, Myles was diagnosed with stage II highly unfavorable Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Myles has a 15cm tumor in his left chest behind his heart. Myles is currently receiving treatment and faces many uncertainties during this time.
FOX43 met with this year's second recipient, Spencer Kling, at the Elizabethtown Fire Station.
Kling is currently an Assistant Supervisor at Lancaster County Wide Communications. He's been working at LCWC for four years. Since 2014, Spencer has served various communities as a volunteer firefighter, earning the rank of Lieutenant. Currently, Spencer is a firefighter with the Elizabethtown Fire Company.
Over the summer, his two-year-old daughter, Blakely, was diagnosed with Leukemia. She currently has a 2½ to 3-year treatment plan.
“Looking at her, you wouldn’t know that she’s dealing with something like this...she just lets her light shine, and she's got a heart of gold," Kling said.
It's a battle that's not easy for the Kling Family, "God's been with us through this entire thing… just seeing him work through people and the people around us," Kling said.
But thankfully it's not something they're facing alone.
"The amount of people that are out there that have helped us... it's a blessing," Kling said.
Including the support from Beards for Brothers.
"It's a humbling experience to be in this situation to sit back and accept the help because I'm not one to normally do that," Kling said.
Beards for Brothers is hosting an event, First Responders Night Out 2024, on Friday, Dec. 6 where they'll present the money that's been raised for the two recipients this year.
The organization is still collecting donations for the recipients. If you would like to donate to the cause, click here.