By John Schwing

WESTPORT — Jake Nolan’s recent fundraising campaign for a good cause was, in fact, truly hair-razing.

Nolan, who with his mother, Lynne, comprises “The Nolan Team” at Compass real estate, has for a decade raised money for “Movember,” a global charity that supports various men’s health initiatives, including mental health and suicide prevention, and prostate and testicular cancer.

The signature tradition of Movember, observed every November since its 2003 founding, is for participants to grow mustaches or beards during the month-long fundraiser — untouched by nary a clipper or trimmer.

Nolan, however, this year turned that tradition on its head. Or more precisely his head, organizing a fundraising challenge to have his five-year growth of flowing locks shorn off if he received Movember donations totaling at least $5,500.

When donations surpassed $9,000 (and counting), Nolan, true to his word, headed to Hammer & Nails grooming lounge on Post Road East to experience something he avoided for a half-decade: a hair cut, and not just “cut” but well and truly buzzed down to scalp-level roots.

Nolan’s mane event, live-streamed to verify his vow, has been posted on his Instagram page for all to see.

And how did Jake Nolan get to this cutting-edge place?

“I saw that Movember had a great platform and, to be honest, I thought growing a mustache was a cool way to raise awareness. So it started out as just a fun way to raise some money and host events when I was living in [New York City],” said Nolan, who at the time was living in New York City and working as a DJ. “So I would host Movember events to raise funds.”

A decade ago, “I was 24 and I don’t think I fully understood what mental health was,” he said. “But as the years went on, I dealt with some mental health issues and have had friends deal with it as well. I’ve had a couple of friends that have unfortunately taken their own lives, so now Movember is a very meaningful cause to me.”

Prior to his Movember makeover this year, one of Nolan’s memorable past fundraisers was an event last year organized with the local Rhone clothing store, which also promotes mental fitness, and donated 10 percent of sales proceeds from the event to Movember.

More than $2,000 was raised at the shopping event, which featured live music, food from Don Memo restaurant, beer from Brewport, TAP Strength demonstrations and raffle gifts donated by local businesses.

For this November’s fundraiser, Nolan said, “Since I had been doing it for 10 years, I wanted to incentivize more donations,” and took to Instagram to announce that “if I surpass what I raised last year I would buzz my hair. 

“My long hair has been somewhat synonymous with me over the past five years, so I felt stepping out of my comfort zone would encourage more donations and also amplify the conversation about men’s health,” he added.

It worked. 

When donations nearly doubled Nolan’s $5,500 goal, true to his word, off to the barber he headed. Donations, which are still being collected, as of early Friday totaled $9,063, according to Nolan’s fundraising page.

Nolan, who lived briefly in Westport as a child, returned to town during the COVID pandemic, and with his wife, Christie, and English bulldog, Pancakes, settled on Greens Farms Road where they plan to be “longtime residents.”

John Schwing, interim editor of the Westport Journal, has held senior editorial and writing posts at southwestern Connecticut media outlets for four decades. Learn more about us here.