TRUCKEE, Calif. — Some members of the Truckee Police Department, along with employees in the town of Truckee, will begin to look a bit scruffy over the next couple weeks.

Officers, police staff and other town employees are once again participating in the national cancer awareness campaign known as No-Shave November.

This year, hundreds of thousands of people will hear the words “you have cancer,” and there’s a good chance some of them will be people we know and love.

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The Gene Upshaw Memorial Tahoe Forest Cancer Center estimated that in 2013 they would treat 350 new patients from this area. The center has several programs for patients that are funded by the American Cancer Society which include wigs, transportation support, and travel expenses.

Town employees have partnered with No-Shave November, a web-based organization that’s partnered with the American Cancer Society, devoted to raising cancer awareness and supportive funds by putting a fun twist on the month of November.

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And what better way to grow awareness than with some hair?

The goal of No-Shave November is to allow anyone, regardless of age, gender or income level, to grow cancer awareness and raise money to fight cancer by embracing our hair, which many cancer patients lose.

Nearly everyone spends some amount of his or her hard-earned money on grooming, whether that’s shaving, waxing, trimming or threading. If just for November, those individuals gave that cost (ranging from a few dollars for razors to a $100 salon visit) to a cancer charity, a small number of people could pool together a sizable chunk of change to help cancer patients and their families.

The money raised is distributed to all areas such as research, prevention, education and continuing care.

Residents can join members of the Truckee Police Department and employees within the town of Truckee by participating in No-Shave November, which ends at the end of this month.

Town employees have created a web page hosted through No-Shave November. Visit main.acsevents.org/goto/townoftruckee and click “donate” to help the cause.

We are also accepting donations via check. If you chose to donate by check, please make them out to the American Cancer Society. Checks can be left at the Truckee Police Department front desk during normal business hours.

This article was submitted to the Sun by the Truckee Police Department.