Summerlanders will show their opposition to bullying through a number of initiatives later this month.
Tina Martin, chair of Summerland’s anti-bullying committee, said residents are encouraged to wear pink T-shirts during the week of Feb. 25 to 28 for Pink Shirt Day on Feb. 28.
She said the shirts are worn as a sign of opposition to bullying.
In addition, the group will show Bully, an American documentary following five families for a year and examining how bullying affects them.
Following the film showing, the South Okanagan Victim Assistance Society and the South Okanagan Women in Need Society will hold a question and answer session.
“It’s very emotional,” Martin said of the film. “If anyone has been bullied, it will trigger a lot of memories for them.”
She added that the discussion becomes complex since defining a bully is difficult.
“Often, the perpetrator is hurting and has been a victim as well,” she said. “Bringing that into the discussion is important.”
The date of the film showing has not yet been finalized.
At the Summerland Steam Junior B home game on Feb. 8, players from the Steam and the visiting Penticton Lakers will wear pink during the game as a way of participating in the anti-bullying cause.
“The Steam has been very supportive of this initiative,” Martin said.
Students from Summerland Secondary School will also work on a video project to raise awareness of bullying and show the community’s commitment to stop bullying.
Martin hopes the promotional events for Pink Shirt Day will lead to lasting behaviour changes.
“Unless people are willing to stand up and make a significant change, it just goes in circles,” she said.
Mayor Janice Perrino said the week is important as a way to change attitudes about bullying.
“Does it have an impact? Slowly but surely it will,” she said. “Often, a powerful change is done consistently but slowly.” The anti-bullying committee formed in November and is working to define Summerland as a bully-free community. The group has a website at bullyfreesummerland.com and a Facebook page under Summerland — Bully Free.
Students at Summerland Secondary School will create a video with an anti-bullying message. The students from the school’s social justice group will work with ET2media to create the five-minute video. Erick Thompson, ET2media, said the video is intended to show the community’s opposition to bullying.
“It’s a series of short scenes, showing what bullying consists of,” Thompson said. “It’s not just on the school grounds.” A segment of the video will show the Feb. 8 Summerland Steam Junior B hockey game, where the Steam and visiting Penticton Lakers will wear pink to show their support for Summerland’s anti-bullying initiative. The final scene will feature a crowd on Main Street, to show some of the support for the community’s anti-bullying initiative. Music in the video will be a song by Vernon singer-songwriter Andrew Allen, who has also agreed to participate in the video The project will be completed prior to Pink Shirt Week in late February.
