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Beard-shaving benefit buys Beach Elementary new SmartBoard

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The BEFORE shot of Fernando, just before shaving his long-growing beard for Beach Elementary charity. Photo by TERRY COLVIN.
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The AFTER shot! Fernando holds up a monetary donation for the Beach School benefit. Photo by TERRY COLVIN.

Growing his lovely beard out for quite sometime, local cab driver Fernando Rodriguez buzzed it all off for a good cause last Friday afternoon.

During that time, Fernando promised to completely shave his longtime facial friend if enough funds were raised to purchase a new SmartBoard for Beach Elementary. Prior to the benefit, the school had only three, as they’re very expensive.

“They’re very expensive,” said Renee Mulloy, Beach Elementary School secretary, prior to the fund-raiser. “So, whatever Fernando receives during the benefit will go toward the purchase of another one. It’s a phenomenal tool. They’re really helping out the school. The kids absolutely love it.”

During the three-hour benefit, event organizer and Surf Club regular Tom McKibon said about $1,175 was raised for the school.

“We certainly reached our goal,” he said. “The machines are about $895, so we won’t just get the machine, but we’ll also be able to install it.”

Tom said the machine will be utilized in the school for many years, and that this was something Fernando wanted to do to help out the community.

He also said the winner of the 50/50 prize gave lots of it back, and it was just a fun, helpful afternoon.

After the funds were calculated, Renee was shocked and excited to hear the results of the benefit.

“That’s so great! We’ll definitely have teachers rejoicing,” she said. “It’s phenomenal and we really, really appreciate it.”

In order to decide which class gets the new high-tech donation, a drawing will be held with the eight remaining classroom teachers’ names. (There are 11 classroom teachers in the school, and so far, Renee said the three classrooms that have the SmartBoard are Mrs. Reed’s first-grade class, Mrs. Zamniak’s second-grade class and Mrs. Rockwell’s fifth-grade class).

At the end of the benefit, as promised, Fernando buzzed his beard and hair off right off.

Immediately after his shave, he felt for his chain necklace and said, “Now I can find my chain again!”

Plenty more pics of the beard-shaving fund-raiser can be seen at cu.FortMyersBeachTalk.com