*Guest blog by Candace Lamb, Canadian Red Cross
When I was in school I was bullied. I saw kids in my class bullied and should have stood up for them more often than I did. I watched the affects of bullying on my sister. I watched her personality change and she became quiet and reserved. Years later, I can still see the impact.
Do you know anyone who hasn't been affected in some way by bullying? I don't. But there are things we can do to make bullying a thing of the past. That's what Pink Shirt Day is all about.
A classroom of pink.
Pink Shirt Day was started in 2007 by two boys in Nova Scotia. One of their schoolmates had been bullied for wearing a pink shirt to school. When that boy returned to school, David Shepherd and Travis Price showed their support by not only wearing pink themselves, but by purchasing 50 shirts for their friends to wear.
Now communities across the country and right here in Saskatchewan take a stand and wear pink shirts for Pink Shirt Day on April 13th.
I am really excited about what is going on in Saskatchewan. Red Cross staff here, along with 3,000 others in 29 schools, workplaces and at pools are wearing pink and
Students wear pink in the classroom
taking a stand against bullying in our province. 3,000 people!
Did you know that when youth stand up and speak out against bullying they are successful in stopping the behaviour over half the time in about 10 seconds. Pink Shirt Day is a great start to making bullying a thing of the past. Won’t you join us?
Visit www.redcross.ca/imagine for information on bullying prevention in Saskatchewan.
More info on bullying can be found at www.standup2bullying.com