After having his head shaved, Mark Dennis was asked if he considered himself a winner.

He was the top fundraiser in Hairless for the Homeless, which benefits Anchor House Family Assistance Center and Pantry in Seymour.

Bringing in $5,430 of the $24,458.60 raised and knowing it was for a good cause, Dennis’ response to the question was “Yes, I do.”

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“It’s just a great cause, and everybody knows it,” said Dennis, owner of Mark Dennis & Co., CPA Inc. “It has been in the community for a long time. There are a lot of organizations that come and go, but this is one that’s going to last and succeed for a really long time.”

Plus, his wife, Cindi Dennis, is on the Anchor House board, so he felt he had to do it.

“She asked if I would do it, and I didn’t think twice. When she asked, I couldn’t say no,” he said. “There’s an awful lot of good that’s done in this community, and not everybody can do everything, so I want to participate where I can.”

He then tried to convince Cindi to also be a candidate, but she wasn’t up for it. Maybe next year?

“We can do that. We can make that happen,” Mark said, smiling.

If she doesn’t do it, Mark said maybe his son, Matt Dennis, will.

“You know what? I would get behind that,” Mark said with another smile. “I might be able to raise $5,400 again for him.”

Mark was one of 11 candidates in the second-largest annual fundraiser for Anchor House, which offers temporary shelter for homeless families with children and a food pantry twice a week for community members in need. The largest fundraiser is the golf outing in the summer.

Hairless for the Homeless fundraising ran from Sept. 1 to 5 p.m. Thursday.

Ten of the candidates were asked to raise at least $1,000 apiece. If they didn’t, they had to have their head shaved by stylists from The Buzz Hair Design Studio on Friday night during the Seymour Oktoberfest. If they did reach that mark, they had the option of keeping their hair or having it shaved.

The bounty was Rick Meyer, an Anchor House board member. If he raised at least $2,000 through the community, he could keep his hair, and a donor would match his total. He raised $2,050, so he was able to keep his hair.

Orlando Munoz, representing veterans, and Justin Graham, who works at Family Video, were the only ones to not reach the $1,000 mark, so they had their heads shaved.

Coming in second place was Matt Nieman with $5,000. He represented the Jackson County Community Theatre.

He agreed to dye his hair blonde like singer Adam Levine has sported a few times if he reached that mark. Supporters came through, so his hair was dyed before Friday night’s event.

In third place was Keegan Lohman, who works at Cummins Inc. in Seymour. He raised $3,034.60.

Lohman and Brad Smith were among those who topped $1,000 but chose to be good sports and have their heads shaved. Smith operates Smith’s Tire Sales Inc. with his wife, Ashley Smith, who is on the Anchor House board.

Lohman said a couple of co-workers asked him to participate, and he was happy to do so. He did a pizza fundraiser and collected money through donation boxes at work.

Telling people he also would have his eyebrows shaved if he reached $1,000 was a big draw, too.

“I got lots of money donated for that,” he said.

Lohman said the only other time he has been bald was when he dressed up as Gru from the “Despicable Me” movies for Halloween one year.

“I actually took a razor to it and shaved it,” he said.

On Friday, along with his eyebrows and head, he had his facial hair shaved. He decided to keep a mustache, but he planned to shave it later Friday night.

“It feels good. It’s nice,” he said of being bald for the second time.

Mark Dennis said before Friday, he had lost some of his hair, but he had never been completely bald.

“I would almost rather take a blade to it now,” he said, smiling.

“Here’s what I’ve always said: Hair is only important to those that have it,” Dennis said. “I haven’t had it for years, so whatever. Do whatever you want to it.”

Like all of the candidates, Lohman and Dennis knew they were helping a great cause, so being bald was beautiful.

“Anything to help out the community and the homeless,” Lohman said.

Both of them encourage others to donate to Anchor House, whether it’s giving money or food that’s needed year-round or signing up for Hairless for the Homeless next year.

“I’d say that it’s a very good cause and they should do it,” Lohman said. “People will gladly donate. It’s all about going out and asking the community, and they’ll reach out and give out everything they have.”

Dennis had a similar approach.

“You tell everybody you know,” he said. “You mention it to people you think will participate, and they participate. Everybody knows it’s a good cause. It was pretty easy to do, really.”

At the start of Friday’s event, Karen Battin, president of the Anchor House board, recognized former executive director Deb Bedwell for overseeing the first four Hairless for the Homeless fundraisers and new executive director Stephanie Masters-Wheeler for taking over this year with the support of staff members Jessy Scruggs and Tracy Day-Vaughn.

Battin and Masters-Wheeler then thanked all of the candidates for “being willing to put their hair on the line.”

The final tally was the second-largest in the history of the fundraiser. The first one in 2001 raised $30,000, while $24,156 was brought in last year.

“Hairless for the Homeless is a big fundraiser for Anchor House,” Battin said. “It restarted last year and raises a lot of great money for the community, so we really need it. It helps us pay our bills every day and serve people. We really appreciate you supporting us helping that cause.”

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Eleven people participated in this year’s Hairless for the Homeless fundraiser for Anchor House Family Assistance Center and Pantry.

The total raised was $24,458.60.

The top three were:

1. Mark Dennis, $5,430

2. Matt Nieman, $5,000

3. Keegan Lohman, $3,034.60

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Anchor House Family Assistance Center and Pantry is at 250 S. Vine St., Seymour.

Staffed shelter hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and from 6 to 10 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.

The food pantry is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays and from noon to 5 p.m. Thursdays. Clients must provide identification, and they can visit twice in a 30-day time period.

For information, call 812-522-9308 or visit anchorhouseshelter.org or facebook.com/ahfamilyassistancecenter.

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