11-month beard raises $10,000 for charity

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., May 6 (UPI) -- A Florida groom said the beard he spent 11 months cultivating raised $10,000 for a charity before ending up in a pile on the floor.

Darren Perlmutter, 27, said he decided to grow the beard 11 months ago to raise money for the Ann Storck Center in Fort Lauderdale, a non-profit facility for the developmentally disabled, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported Monday.

Perlmutter's sister, Elana, 26, has lived most of her life at the facility and will not be able to attend his wedding next month to Mallory Duboff.

"It was our way to make her part of the wedding and raise money for the center," Perlmutter said.

Perlmutter said he reached his $10,000 goal and was able to shave his beard Saturday during the center's fifth annual Rock The Race: A Kentucky Derby Bash, an event to raise money for the programs and services offered by the center.

Perlmutter said his fiancee is on a bachelorette party cruise and won't see his face until he picks her up on Monday.

"I am not sure how she's going to react," Perlmutter said. "It's going to be a whole different face."