CLEVELAND — The first chapter of our If You Give a Child a Book campaign was written inside a barbershop on the city’s west side.
In 2017, we went to Urban Kutz on Pearl Rd. to deliver a check for $10,000 to the Barbershop Literacy Project. Today, Urban Kutz and its owner, Waverly Willis, continue to provide access to high-quality books through the local nonprofit Literacy in the H.O.O.D.
I went back to follow up with Willis and someone else there that day.
“The kids come in and grab a book, they tell the barber about the book when they get in the chair and if they like the book, they can have the book, because we got a million books,” Willis said.
During that initial donation back in 2017, a 2-year-old named Dallas Cammon was there. He got to pick out some books of his own and enjoy a little story time. Today, Dallas is 9 years old. He just started 4th grade at Emerson Elementary School in Lakewood.
Willis is his grandfather. So, Dallas knows very well the importance of reading, thanks to all those years in grandpa’s shops soaking up the conversations. The regulars know him as Mr. President, and he has a message for the people.
“Reading is really important in your life because if you want to learn how to make money and have a house, you have to learn how to read because if you don’t know how to read, you’re going to get scammed,” he told me.
Dallas loves reading, and Grandpa loves celebrating his achievements, like when Dallas finished his first chapter book. Willis shares that same excitement with the kids who come into his shops when they bring in report cards or test scores. Willis says it’s cool to see their growth.
“We’re always their biggest cheerleaders here in the barbershop,” he told me.
Willis says it takes a village to raise a reader, and he has a saying for the kids:
“I will out-read you, therefore I will out-lead you, you know? Readers are leaders and I don’t care what industry or walk of life, it is what it is. Readers are leaders.”
You can be part of that village by donating to this year’s If You Give a Child a Book campaign. Since our initial donation to the Barbershop Literacy Project, News 5 has partnered with two Title One schools, Wade Park Elementary and Stephanie Tubbs Jones School. All the money raised from these campaigns stays in Cleveland and pays for kids to pick out free books during Scholastic Book Fairs to build their libraries at home.
You can donate to our “If You Give a Child a Book” campaign by texting WEWS to 50155.
You can also click here to donate through our website.
If you donate today, Sept. 4, the Scripps Howard Fund will match your donation.
