CoSIDA E-Digest January 2013 • 1

Giving back to our own: SIDEARM Sports’ “Movember” fundraiser
total $16,000+ for Abilene Christian SID Lance Fleming’s family
photo: Abilene Christian Assistant AD for Media Relations and his late son, Rex.
All through November, SIDEARM Sports ran its 2nd
annual Movember campaign to raise money for cancer
research and prevention. Last year, the monies collected
were donated to the national “Movember” organization.
This November’s fundraising effort, however, had a
decidedly personal touch.
The SIDEARM effort, led by CEO and President Jeff
Rubin and creative director Chris Kirkegaard and hundreds
of CoSIDA members and friends and associates of
SIDEARM, raised an astounding $16,106.00 by the end of
November.
This year, 100 percent of the SIDEARM contributions
were earmarked for the family of 10-year old cancer victim
Rex Fleming, the son of Abilene Christian University
Assistant AD for Media Relations Lance Fleming. When
Rex was diagnosed two years ago at the tender age of
eight with brain cancer, the family was told that Rex only
had a 30 percent chance to make it to his 13th birthday.
In late fall, the family received devastating news
that the cancer was irreversible. In November, with the
“Movember” campaign well underway, Rex lost his battle,
passing away on Nov. 25.
CoSIDA members were asked to participate in the
Movember fundraiser in two ways: one, by growing
mustaches/facial hair and raising funds. There would be a
contest where the “best” facial hair growth - as voted on by
CoSIDA members and SIDEARM colleagues. Second, for
those not participating in the contest, they had the option of
sending in monetary contributions.
An impressive 122 contestants, clean-shaven in
by Barb Kowal, CoSIDA Director of External Affairs
CoSIDA E-Digest January 2013 • 9
October, put away the razors for the month of November
and began fund-raising in earnest.
Contacting CoSIDA members via email letters, social
media, blo and the SIDEARM and CoSIDA websites, the
friendly contest and serious fundraising efforts began in
early November. Contestants from across the country and
all divisions of college athletics participated. And monies
began to flow.
Both Rubin and Kirkegaard are professors in Syracuse
University’s iSchool, and those faculty and staff members
contributed mightily too. Participants shared their stories
and promotioned their efforts via social media competing
for “School Spirit Stache,” “Thanksgiving Stache” and “Best
Overall Stache.” Women also were involved, taking photos
of themselves using print-out mustaches provided on
SIDEAM’s website.
Rubin and Kirkegaard have very personal connections
to their Movember fundraising efforts these last two years.
In October of 2011, Kirkegaard approaching his
boss Rubin and suggested they do the first “Movember”
campaign. He was looking to support the cancer
fundraising effort after his mother lost her battle against
cancer a mere five months earlier. Monies raised in 2011
went to the national “Movember” organization.
This year, however, the story of Rex Fleming tugged
hard at Rubin, the father of two, and he felt an immediate
connection between the “Movember” campaign and raising
awareness for Rex Fleming’s plight.
SIDEARM Sports dedicated their fund-raising efforts
to the Rex in the hopes that the 10-year old would win his