Local wanna-be models were good sports as they strutted their stuff and almost bared it all for a good cause on Monday night in Penticton.
The JCI Penticton and Okanoggin Barber Shop Men in Underwear Fashion Show was designed as a fun event, to help raise funds for a serious cause.
“We came to Penticton three and half years ago and all the events we have done through both Okanoggin Barbers and Skaha Barbers our primary charity has been Discovery House. They do incredible work and they are an awesome group of guys. They believe in save a brother, save a father, save a son — and for people who are dealing with addiction saving that person is a big turning point for all of their families lives,” said Peter Beauchamp, owner of Okanoggin Barbers.
Beauchamp, along with Tim Tweed, also host the Okanagan Beard Festival with all proceeds going to Discovery House.
“This is a great support because it is something that is really, really needed here in Penticton. It is our young people and our middle age people we are losing from our community. Events like this bring some light to our community that we really need to help each other out,” said Lisa Borba of the Discovery House.
Every year Discovery House has a shortfall of $72,000 that they have to come up with. Borba said they have raised about $60,000 and fundraisers like this helps them out.
Related: Parkers supports Discovery House
“If we don’t come up with the money, that means there are more people out there that need help on the streets. There are more people out there that do want to clean up and get help but there would be nothing for them,” she said.
Related: Discovery House shedding the light on addiction
Borba invites the public to visit Discovery House for themselves during their open house event on Dec. 15 at the grand opening of the Winnipeg Street residence. Tours will be occurring from noon to 6 p.m. on the hour.
The Men in Underwear Fashion Show models (consisting of past and present JCI members, local entrepreneurs and clients of Okanoggin Barber Shop) collected funds from the sold-out event at Cannery Brewing to be donated to Discovery House as they gyrated their way around the room.
Beauchamp said, as one could imagine, the toughest part was getting the models to agree to it.
“It was a gradual training program,” said Beauchamp, who has previously ran a similar event in Vancouver.
JCI Penticton member Dylan Neilson-Schenk said after learning where the funds would be directed to, he had no issue stepping up as a model — even if that meant he had to strut in his skivvies.
“Strangely enough I was OK with it. I was ready to rock and roll. It will be fun. Peter actually has a sign in his shop that is a John Wayne quote — it says courage is being afraid but saddling up and going to ride anyways. I am ready to do that, ” he said before the show. “I really just think this is a great cause.”
Joshua L’Heureux, also a JCI Penticton member, said their mandate is to support community growth. With that in mind, he threw humility out the door and walked on the catwalk with the goal of raising funds for Discovery House.
“There is no nerves around charity. If you look at the crowd out there, they are all just ready to sit down and watch people kind of make a fool of themselves.”