LIR Clothing’s 5th annual back-to-school event set for Sunday in Unity Park

LIR Clothing will host its fifth annual back-to-school children’s appreciation day Sunday at Unity Park on Oakland Drive.

The clothing business, founded by Riverhead native Anthony Harris, hosts the back-to-school event in the neighborhood where Harris grew up, giving away school supplies, backpacks and LIR T-shirts. The event includes food and refreshments, a DJ, activities for kids and a photo booth.

Each year, the back-to-school event attracts more than 100 kids.

Harris hosts the event as part of an ongoing effort to help provide positive role models for kids. He says positive role models were few and far between for him growing up and he was on the wrong path by the time he reached his teens. He dropped out of high school in 11th grade, despite doing well in school, because “being smart wasn’t cool.”

“I was a just knucklehead,” Harris says, looking back on those days.

After an awakening inspired by a young woman who would become his girlfriend, Harris turned his life around.

He founded LIR Clothing in 2012 after clothes he made for himself, friends and family gained popularity.

His enterprise took off after he met rap star 50 Cent at a book-signing. The rapper liked his clothing and wanted to wear it. Since then, his clothing line has adorned reggae artist Mavado, Haitian musician and presidential candidate Wyclef, and cast members of Real Husbands of Hollywood. It’s also been worn by NFL and NBA players.

But Harris remembers where he came from. “I want to let children know they can better themselves, make something of themselves. Stay in school, don’t give up. They can be anything they want to be,” he says.

“It’s important to give back,” Harris says. “And just as important to get that message across to our kids. When you make it, never forget where you came from.”

LIR’s fifth annual back-to-school event takes place Sunday, Sept. 3 from 2 to 6 p.m. at Unity Park off North Oakland Drive.