Twenty backpacks intended for underprivileged children in Nanaimo were stolen last week.
Dave Lawrence, owner of That 50’s Barbershop, said sometime early last week the donated backpacks loaded with school supplies had been stolen from a storage unit underneath his downtown shop.
The backpacks and supplies were donated to Lawrence’s Fresh Start annual charity event, which provides less fortunate children with a free haircut and a backpack filled with supplies, clothes and books before the start of the new school year.
“I was choked,” Lawrence told the News Bulletin.
Lawrence says he made the discovery on Aug. 23 after receiving an e-mail from the neighbourhood association that mentioned a rash of thefts in the area and included his store on a list of places that had been burglarized.
“I rushed down here to the store to check,” he said. “We have big boxes of supplies. They were all still there. But I had 30 backpacks with supplies in them and when I counted there were only 10 left.”
Lawrence says the theft is vexing, adding that it’s likely the thieves had no idea the backpacks were being collected for less fortunate children.
“It’s frustrating,” he said. “They don’t know that it was for my charity, but it does suck that this happened.”
Since word got out about the theft, That 50’s Barbershop has received plenty of donated backpacks and supplies. Lawrence says he’s incredibly thankful for all support the community has shown him.
“People are calling and wanting to help out,” he said. “That’s great. Yes, I organized [Fresh Start] and came up with the concept and do all that stuff but at the same time this is very much a community event. If it wasn’t for the people donating the backpacks and supplies we wouldn’t have it.”
Lawrence says he informed the Nanaimo RCMP about the theft.
Fresh Start takes place on Sept. 2.