- Rick the Barber hosted his 21st Annual Back-to-School hair cutting event.
- More than 200 students got free haircuts and a brand new backpack filled with school supplies.
- Watch the video to find out the motive behind this event and how it provided relief for Woodville neighbors.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A fresh cut for a fresh start back to school.
I'm Kenya Cardonne, your neighborhood reporter in Southeast Tallahassee where neighbors in Woodville are getting some financial relief at a back-to-school free haircut and school supply giveaway.
ACE hardware in Woodville was a bit more active than usual on Sunday.
That's because all the way in the back was a noble cause to make sure kids look and feel their best for their first day back to school.
Rick Thompson and his partner Robbin Wiggins spent hours cutting hair for free.
Rick Thompson, Barber - "I don't know how much a haircut will change a kid, but I know how much it changed me."
Born and raised in Woodville, Rick tells me he remembers skipping school when he couldn't get a haircut.
Thompson - "I said if I can come back and just cut some heads and keep some kids from avoiding being able to skip school or not want to go because they don't have a haircut, I was going to come back and do that every year."
A vow he has kept for the past 21 years.
Sunday, more than 200 kids stopped by for a fresh cut and also walked out with a brand new backpack filled with school supplies.
Brittany Dabney, Neighbor - "Especially after the storm last weekend, bringing everyone together.."
For neighbor Brittany Dabney, a mother of two boys, it's a blessing.
Dabney - "So many kids and families that aren't able to go drive to town or wherever just to get their haircuts and things of that sort and just to have this here locally, it's a blessing."
Other neighbors I spoke with tell me besides the financial relief, they just appreciate the helping hand in boosting their children's self-esteem.
Junior Somers, Neighbor - "You know they have fresh outfits, shoes, so it's all part of the setup."
Dabney - "It's like an image nowadays. You have to be fresh back to school for sure."
Because if students feel they look their best at school, then academically..
Robbin Wiggins, Barber - "They're gonna act like that.. we hope!"
It's what Rick says is the ultimate reward— seeing kids in our community excel.
Thompson - "Like I said, I'm going to keep on doing it until I can't do it anymore and this is who I do it for right here— the kids."
Woodville was one of the areas hardest hit by the May 10th tornadoes. Neighbors tell me this event also served as much needed relief as they continue recovering from recent disasters. In Southeast Tallahassee, Kenya Cardonne, ABC 27
