Dave Lawrence, owner of That 50's Barber Shop and creator of Fresh Start. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

Fresh start

New-look school supplies initiative gears up for busy campaign

Aug 7, 2020 | 5:15 AM

NANAIMO — Helping local students get the school year started off right has taken on a new level of importance for the organizer of Fresh Start.

Dave Lawrence of That 50’s Barber Shop said their team of volunteers weren’t sure how handing out school supplies and safely supplying free hair cuts to large crowds of students would work this year.

“We wanted to power through and do something different and still do it, so we are still collecting backpacks and school supplies,” Lawrence said, who invites the public to drop off donations at his Victoria Cres. business.

School-aged students lining up outside his barber shop to get their school supplies and new haircuts won’t happen this time around on Saturday, Aug. 29 due to the ongoing pandemic.

“You can sign up on an online form and we’ll be delivering the school supplies and backpacks right to your door,” Lawrence told NanaimoNewsNOW.

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He said a typical turn-out of 120 children and their families who take advantage of the program will likely be far surpassed this year.

“The Facebook messages are flooding in,” Lawrence said. “I feel with COVID and people being out of work and on a lot of people on some shaky ground they need some help and that’s what Fresh Start is for.”

He said coupons to local barber shops will be placed in as many backpacks as possible.

Lawrence is vowing his allegiance to the cause by getting a ‘Fresh Start’ tattoo. He’s scheduled to get his new ink as part of a fundraiser scheduled to stream live on the Fresh Start Facebook page on Aug. 17 between 12 p.m. and 3 p.m.

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes