It was a generous act that went above and beyond the call of duty: Last week, Bingen-White Salmon Police Chief Bruce Brending sat before a crowd at the Henkle Middle School gymnasium and publicly allowed his hair, mustache, and eyebrows to be shaved off.
The promotion was called "Shave the Chief," and it drew a great deal of interest from area residents, as the packed gym demonstrated.
Brending's noble act was for a very good cause: He had agreed that if local citizens donated at least $2,500 to Columbia High School's "Project Graduation," he would allow himself to get the big trim in public, at halftime of the "Donkey Basketball" game on Feb. 28.
That's quite a courageous move. Not many people are willing to let their appearance be changed so dramatically -- especially in such a public forum -- good cause or not.
Chief Brending deserves tremendous praise for his gracious show of support for Project Graduation.
Project Graduation is a wonderful program. It allows students to celebrate their gradation from high school in a safe environment that is free from alcohol, free from drugs, and away from speeding cars.
With this move, Brending demonstrated his level of commitment to the community. No amount of praise is too much for his good deed.
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