By Robert Hudson

The Selma Times-Journal

Sometimes the work of individuals can make a big impact on the community, but other times it takes a little teamwork.

Located on J.L. Chestnut Boulevard, Teamwork Barber Shop has taken steps to help fortunate and unfortunate children in the community.

The shop recently teamed up with a local elementary school to provide free haircuts for children going back to school.

“We had a promotion we did with Knox Elementary School where we donated 150 free haircuts,” Nathaniel Johnson, owner of Teamwork Barber Shop, said. “We also, in the past, have done it at other schools like Salem (Elementary School), Five Points (Elementary School) and Shiloh (Elementary School and Sixth Grade Academy).”

Johnson said the thing that inspired him and his fellow barbers was the opportunity to give back to a community that has given so much to them.

“We’re just giving back to the community,” Johnson said. “Through the years they’ve stuck by us and we’ve been blessed. Sometimes you’ve just got to give back.”

John L. Rutledge, a barber at Teamwork, said it’s all about helping children any way you can.

“Our goal at Teamwork is to equip the kids with knowledge from the good Lord and teach them that out there in the streets ain’t good enough,” Rutledge said. “You need to get your book work first.”

Rutledge also said, along with helping the youth, it’s important to give back to the city.

“What we do is try to work with them, so we help with the youth programs, too,” Rutledge said. “We just try to give back to Selma like they give to us.”