REGINA — A man from near Medstead has been recognized in the legislature as the world’s top Movember fundraiser.

“We checked the Movember information today and worldwide the No. 1 fundraiser for prostate cancer and men’s mental health is Reed Ludwig from Medstead,” Premier Brad Wall told reporters after introducing Ludwig in the house. “Over $96,000 raised — this is quite an achievement.”

Ludwig and his wife Sheryl live just west of Medstead, located 200 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon, and he works at MEG Energy in Alberta as a maintenance electrician. Ludwig won an earlier moustache “grow off” to earn his place as a Movember representative. Donations from employees were matched by the company and he had a lot of support from family and friends at home in Medstead, too, he said.

Ludwig told reporters he initially hoped to raise $50,000 for the campaign. His managers at work said they would shave their heads if he reached that goal, he recounted. He ended up raising $96,321 — according to Movember.com, more than any other individual in the world.

Ludwig said he never had a moustache before and joked his wife is looking forward to him shaving it off.

“It’s been quite overwhelming, actually,” Ludwig said of the experience of being No. 1 in the world. “I still don’t know how to describe it, but the support has been unbelievable.”

More than $38 million was raised in Canada for the Movember campaign, more money than in any other country. Wall was in the top individual 50 fundraisers in the world, collecting almost $16,000.

jcouture@thestarphoenix.com

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