Avery wins county’s best beard 2022
Jeff Avery was named Best Beard of Boundary County.
Courtesy photo
BONNERS FERRY — After a quest to uncover the best beard in Boundary County, the Herald is happy to report that the best beard can be found on Jeff Avery’s face.
Saturday, Sept. 3, was "World Beard Day" and over social media, the Bonners Ferry Herald asked who has the best beard in Boundary County.
The prompt was simple enough. The Herald asked “do you have the billowing beard of Zeus, the whiskers of a wizard? Does your barber ask you for advice? Are you preparing for 'No-Shave November?'"
The photo with the most likes and comments was named Boundary's Best Beard for 2022 on World Beard Day, winning a photo and story in the Herald and most importantly, bragging rights to the title until September 2023.
The comments came pouring in and Avery was named the undisputed champion, with his beardtastic display of facial hair.
Avery told the Herald that he is honored to be voted best beard and that he’s been growing the beard for two years now. He added that the beard even survived chemotherapy last year.
“It’s my biggest yet,” he said.
This bearded master even provided advice to those just learning the ways of the beard.
“I hear quite a bit about face hair itching in the shorter stage of beard growth. This is caused by the sharp ends which happen after shaving. Stick with it. That will pass as the hair ends round over and lose the sharp ends,” he said.
When it comes to beard care, he said he didn’t have much to say since he works a dirty job and doesn’t spend much time “fussing with it.”
“A couple things I do every day though are brush it right after taking a shower to keep it trained and less wild. I avoid brushing it when it’s dry because that breaks down the hair fibers,” he said.
He added to scrub the skin around and under the beard when showering with a thick beard in order to remove the itching.
Avery shared some beard information — some more factual than others:
• Stroking a beard increases concentration, cognitive ability
• Science has shown beards rarely sleep
• Beards are almost completely immune to sarcasm
• Beards quadruples handsomeness
• Filters the air of toxins, pollution and stray food
• Natural bear-repellent when camping or wandering in the woods
• Acts a homing beacon attracting the jealousy and admiration of the beardless
• Dramatically increases your wood-chopping capabilities
• Fits on your face
• Lets you instinctively know where the nearest mountain is
Avery jokingly added, “ladies, consider picking a man with a beard. Growing a beard takes patience and that’s something he’s going to need.”