Barber Gave free haircuts to kids that read stories to him....

Everyone Matters's photo.
Everyone Matters

One of our youth ambassadors, Jacob Fraser, shared this story that we just loved: Last Saturday, Dubuque barber Courtney Holmes opened his doors to kids for free haircuts - if they read stories to him! Why? It was part of the annual "Back to School Bash," where one of the goals is youth literacy. (Dubuque classes begin Sept 1.)

"I just want to support kids reading," says Courtney. He was listening to 9-year-old Jeremiah Reddick read aloud the life story of baseball legend Babe Ruth.

St. Mark Youth Enrichment gave away books during the event, some of which the kids read to Courtney. Co-ordinator Beth McGorry watched with enjoyment as the barber helped young children pronounce words they didn't yet know.

Says Caitlin Daniels, grade-level reading coordinator with the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, "It's great. All the kids, they want to have a good haircut to go back to school. They're paying through reading."

Great idea - and bravo to Courtney, who clearly knows that Everyone Matters!