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Video and photos by Henry Frederick / Ray Catheline, of Kokomo's Salon, 521 Canal St., New Smyrna Beach, washes and styles customer Kim Pole's hair during today's wildly successful Cudas Unhooked hair-a-thon fundraiser, which he organized. The video highlights an interview with Catheline as well as pre-school children enjoying themselves in a bounce house singing along to a nearby DJ's blaring of Justin Bieber's smash hit "Baby." Amazingly, these kids knew the lyrics to the song, jumping up and down as they sang along without missing a beat.
NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Nobody was more blown away by today's Cudas Unhooked hair-a-thon fundraiser than the organizer himself -- KokoMo's Salon stylist Ray Catheline. Hundreds showed up to what was billed and turned out to be an amazing family event.
While Catheline and a dozen hair stylists from local salons helped him inside his business cutting hair, there was plenty of action behind the business in the lot facing U.S. 1, with pony rides, a bounce house, a DJ, baked goods, cold soft drinks and bottled water.
Mostly there were people -- of all ages -- hundreds of them during the course of the 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. fundraiser for Cudas Unhooked, which helps New Smyrna Beach High School students considered at-risk or even homeless.
Ray Catheline washes customer Kim Poole's hair while doing a video interview with NSBNews.net and doesn't get a drop of water on her face. He was a man on a mission and judging by Poole's jewelry, Jesus on the cross -- you could say they and others were on the proverbial mission from God.
Local resident Kim Poole was more than willing to take part of her Sunday afternoon to get her hair washed and styled by Catheline to help support the cause.
"Everybody's helping each other and that's really neat," Poole said, while leaning back in the sink for a shampooing.
Catheline said he was more than pleased with the turnout, which also feature a silent auction for tickets to an Orlando Magic game and other neat stuff. He said all of the day's proceeds will go directly to Cudas Unhooked.
"When I started planning this 10 weeks ago, I never thought it would be this big a crowd," Catheline said.
Catheline said he was equally pleased to have such a family-fun event that separates it from so many other street festivals -- it was alcohol free.
Erica Kirkpatrict, a senior at New Smyrna Beach High School, who at this point has the highest grade-point average for class valedictorian, succinctly summed up the importance of the event for her fellow students and their families in need and the outpouring of support: It's amazing."
Editor's Note: For more information about the charity, please visit CudasUnhooked.org.