They may have been a little scruffy, perhaps even a bit rough around the edges.

That was exactly the point after their participation in “No Shave November” netted a Walnutport cancer survivor funds to be used toward his charity.

Officers from both the Walnutport and Slatington police departments gathered early Thursday morning at the Walnutport station to present Kevin Kromer and his wife, Kelly, with the $780 in funds they raised through the campaign.

This marked the third straight year the two departments participated in the monthlong campaign in which participants forgo shaving and grooming in order to evoke conversation and raise awareness and funding for cancer prevention, research and education.

The two departments joined together to combine the funds they raised, and discuss local charities to whom they could donate the funds.

This year, they chose to give the funds raised to Mission R.A.C.E.R. (Raising Awareness and Curing Everyone through Research), a local nonprofit founded in 2017 by Kevin Kromer, an esophageal cancer survivor, and his wife, Kelly.

Kelly said that when Kevin was diagnosed in June 2016, he underwent treatments, surgery and participated in an immunotherapy trial that continued through 2017 at Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute.

“He considers himself fortunate to have had medical insurance that covered his expenses, but he encountered many other patients who were not as fortunate financially,” Kelly said.

It was at that time that Kevin shared with Kelly the idea to make it his mission to give back and help others, which led him to create the nonprofit.

The Kromers’ said they are honored, and feel privileged, to have their nonprofit chosen as the recipient of the funds, and will add the donation to the funds Mission R.A.C.E.R. has raised over the past 18 months.

Kelly said Kevin will celebrate his five-year anniversary of being cancer-free at his six-month oncology appointment next week at Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute.

At that visit, Kevin and Kelly will present two checks from Mission R.A.C.E.R. Of those, one to the cancer research department, and the other to a fund that helps cancer patients with finances while they undergo their treatments.

All parties involved expressed their gratitude to everyone who helped make the donation possible.

Their charity website is http://www.missionracer.org.