Fresh Start Back to School is going into its 12th year of giving kids a haircut and school supplies before the beginning of the school year. After seeing a need in the community, Dave Lawrence of That 50’s Barber Shop in downtown Nanaimo founded Fresh Start to give back. The program helps roughly 300 kids annually. A dozen barbers and hairstylists are donating their time for the event. Due to the rising cost of living, organizers expect this year could be one of the busiest yet. “I think people are kind of hurting a little bit more this year,” says Lawrence. “We could have record numbers this year. We could have 400 people come.” Fresh Start is Saturday, Sept. 5, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Vancouver Island Regional Library, located in downtown Nanaimo at Diana Krall Plaza.
