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For one full day in June, the chairs at Foltos Tonsorial Parlor in downtown Batavia will be full for a good cause.
From 4PM Friday, June 5 through 4PM Saturday, June 6, owner Craig Foltos and a rotating group of barbers will cut hair nonstop, with every dollar going to Chicagoland Ronald McDonald House Charities. Now in its 35th year, “Chop Around the Clock” has grown into a full community party that runs straight through the night.
Here's what to know:
The cause: Ronald McDonald House Charities provides free or low-cost housing, meals, and support to families whose children are critically ill or receiving urgent medical care. Foltos has sent the fundraiser's proceeds there since the first one in 1989.
Far more than haircuts: The 24 hours are packed with an ice cream eating contest, a Simon Says championship, a long conga line, music and dancing, an open mic, a bake sale, raffles, face painting, cotton candy, and plenty of hot dogs. The whole thing is kid-friendly.
The track record: Over the years, the event has raised more than $400,000 for the charity.
Help is needed: Foltos is looking for bakers, musicians, entertainers, sponsors, and anyone willing to sit in the chair. People who want to pitch in can reach him directly at 630-879-5253 or [email protected].
The parlor itself has deep roots in town. Foltos runs a family barbershop his parents started generations ago, and he's been the one cutting hair there since the 1970s.
He's also the person behind Batavia's familiar "Peace on Earth" display on the pedestrian bridge over the Fox River.
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