Looking for a lift on Pink Shirt Day?
West Shore RCMP has chosen “Lift Each Other Up” as the theme for a variety of initiatives on Feb. 26, said West Shore RCMP Const. Cole Brewer.
“It’s a great way to remind everyone that they’re accepted and valued for who they are,” said Brewer, who is co-ordinating events for the detachment’s community policing section for Pink Shirt Day.
Studies have shown that one in five kids are affected by bullying in some way, he noted. “Technology is a marvelous thing, but with advances in technology and communication also comes all kinds of new ways for bullying to take place.”
Pink Shirt Day started in 2007 when two students took a stand after a new 10-year-old student at their school was harassed and threatened for wearing pink, Brewer explained.
“It’s a day where we recognize those who are bullied and stand up for them and give recognition to the issue and problems they face by wearing a pink shirt.
It underlines the importance of embracing the differences in each other and reminds us not to make fun of each other.”
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It’s also a day to connect with each other by learning and talking about bullying and developing strategies to stop that kind of behaviour, Brewer said.
Members of the West Shore RCMP have scheduled a floor hockey game with students at École John Stubbs and a variety of activities at Craigflower Elementary that will involve Grade 5 students enrolled in the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program.
Plans also include creating a public service announcement video that will air on the detachment’s Twitter feed on Feb. 26.
“It’s all about creating an environment where kids feel safe and providing help for those who don’t,” Brewer said, adding that the West Shore RCMP has been involved in Pink Shirt Day activities for at least 10 years.
“We recognize the importance of the message and have seen that our message aligns well with what school districts are doing. The more opportunities you create for kids to access support, the better.”
rick.stiebel@goldstreamgazette.com
rick.stiebel@
goldstreamgazette.com
