The Far North's best known, and possibly longest surviving, moustache has been placed on the endangered species list alongside the likes of the kakapo and the fairy tern.
That's because Mayor John Carter has offered to shave it off as part of a Shave for a Cure event due to take place at Kaitaia's Te Ahu Centre next week.
You can hasten his moustache's demise by leaving donations at Te Ahu, Shackleton's Pharmacy or the Northland Age in Kaitaia.
Mr Carter has pledged to sacrifice the lip-warmer he has been cultivating for the past 47 years if donations top $1500. Proceeds will go to Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand.
He will be joined by many other well-known Far Northerners at a fundraising event dubbed Kaitaia Krew Kutz, from noon to 2pm on March 24.
"I'm a cancer survivor myself. It's for the community and a good cause," Mr Carter said.
The other shavees include Mana Movement byelection candidate Rueben Taipari Porter; pharmacist Eric Shackleton; councillor and publican Dave Collard, though he has precious little hair to give up; council customer services manager Nina Gobie; council planner Theresa Burkhardt; and Vince Rudolph, father of Te Amohaere Rudolph, a Kaitaia teen currently battling cancer.
Many others, including cancer survivors, plan to join in with new shavees registering daily. Ms Gobie and business association chair Shirley Williams are organising the event.
- For more information about donating or taking part, email shirleywilliams@xtra.co.nz, call 021 027 89896, or talk to the staff at Te Ahu. Donations can also be made online via the website www.shaveforacure.co.nz (search for 'Kaitaia Krew Kutz').