Barbers to offer free haircuts for vets, homeless
Event scheduled for today at Henry Street shop
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » Devin Wicks opened up Henry Street Barber Shop just three weeks ago, and already has some interesting plans.
On Sunday, Aug. 27, Henry Street Barber Shop will host the first of many planned events featuring free haircuts for the homeless and veterans. Wicks, along with five other barbers including Rasi Harper, plan to cut hair from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. at Henry Street Barber Shop, 80 Henry St., on the first Sunday of every month.
However, the second event won’t take place until Oct. 1.
“For me personally, it’s really an inspiration for me to help the homeless and the vets. It’s just something from my heart,” said Harper. “The only purpose is to give back, man. It’s been an inspiration from God on this one.”
Harper provides free haircuts in Troy every year for Team Hero in a back-to-school event. This will be the first time Wicks participates in a free haircut event.
Wicks, a 2010 graduate of Saratoga Springs High School, has been cutting hair in the area for six years.
“Me and [Harper] teaming up together,” said Wicks. “Me opening up the shop, and then him coming to work for me, he kind of inspired me to want to do something for the community.”
Wicks said it’s going to be great to see everyone coming together.
“It’s going to be a big celebration, just trying to help out everybody. Just trying to giving a helping hand to [people,] and trying to boost people’s motivations,” said Wicks. “A haircut can change somebody’s whole perspective. They might get a haircut and then be able to get a job interview and just help them feel better.”
It was important for Wicks and Harper to provide free haircuts for veterans in addition to the homeless.
“We want to give the veter-
ans their roses while they are here,” said Harper. “We don’t want to wait for tragedy to happen like you see in the news; something always bad happens before you start acknowledging these vets. So while they are here, we’re going to give them their roses. That’s the whole plan.”
Wicks didn’t want it to just be a one time thing.
“Some people aren’t going to be able to get here Sunday — get here the first Sunday in October,” said Wicks. “It’s just important to know they can have a place to come, get a haircut and feel good about themselves. If they don’t have the money to pay, it’s OK. We got a place to come.”
Wicks hopes this event inspires others to do similar things.
“We’re motivating everybody else to give back. A lot of people don’t want to give anything back, man,” said Wicks. “It’s all about money and especially barbers; we make good money, we make a lot of cash and drive nice cars, but nobody wants to give anything back. We want to be kind of the first example that it’s good to give back to the community. It’s good to help somebody else in need that’s less fortunate than you.”
People who attend the event will receive a haircut, a T-shirt and a meal. It’s a Henry Street partnership.
“It’s a monthly event on the coolest block in Saratoga. It’s one of the coolest streets in Saratoga,” said Harper. “We’ve got good neighbors in Henry Street Taproom, he’s helping out and we want everybody to follow our Facebook page at Henry Street Barber Shop.”