Men shave their beards for local friend

A Stolhand Heating and Air employee was lying in bed when he thought of the beard shaving fundraiser.

He was trying to think of a way to raise money for his friend, who was shot a few days ago.

Justin Backhaus has been in the hospital ever since.

Jason and his co-worker, Brandon vowed to shave their beloved beards if they raised $500.

Hours after posting the idea on Facebook they had raised $500.

Josh Fields, another Stoland employee said the company wants to help because Backhaus use to work for them.

“Our companies already paid for a hotel room for a week, so the Mom could stay there," Backhaus said."They were having some traveling problems, so we just said here is a hotel room, stay there with your family. Now we’re just trying to help get some more money for gas and food, that kind of stuff.”

They view Backus as family.

Fields said he has been trying to get both Brandon and Jason to shave their beards for along time.

"They have been growing their beards for probably two years at least," Feilds said. "I don’t know if Jason’s daughter knows what he looks like without his goatee.”

Both have agreed to keep their facial hair shaved for one more week every $100 they get.

Field’s has now gotten on board, but doing the opposite.

Fields is always clean shaven, so he has vowed to not shave for a week every $100.

Donations can be dropped off or mailed to their office at 413 S. 3rd St.

Checks need to be made payable to Eastman National Bank, with Justin Backhaus written in the memo line.