PREECEVILLE — Students and staff in Preeceville and Sturgis wore pink Feb. 25, joining a nationwide movement to stand against bullying and promote kindness.
Bullying is a major problem in schools, workplaces, homes and online. Throughout February and the year, CKNW Kids' Fund's Pink Shirt Day aims to raise awareness of these issues, as well as raise funds to support programs that foster children’s healthy self-esteem, according to the Pink Shirt Day website.
Pink Shirt Day is celebrated on the last Wednesday in February each year in Canada, raising awareness about bullying and promoting kindness.
Preeceville School and Sturgis Composite School staff and students supported the organization on Feb. 25 by wearing pink shirts to school, along with many other schools and organizations province-wide.
Now a movement recognized worldwide, Pink Shirt Day began with humble roots. Inspired by an act of kindness in small-town Nova Scotia, CKNW Kids' Fund, in partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs and 980 CKNW, launched efforts to raise funds in support of anti-bullying programs.
Marked annually around the world, Pink Shirt Day began in Canada in 2007 when two students, David Shepherd and Travis Price, stood up against homophobic bullying after a new student was harassed and threatened for wearing a pink shirt.
After Shepherd and Price’s act of kindness in 2007, CKNW was inspired to help other youth affected by bullying, with many staff members wearing pink shirts and collecting funds to support Boys & Girls Clubs.
Since then, the idea has grown each year, with world-wide support and participation. Countries across the globe are now organizing anti-bullying fundraisers of their own, including Japan, New Zealand, China, Panama and many others. Last year alone, people in almost 180 countries shared their support of Pink Shirt Day through social media posts and donations.
As the Pink Shirt Day movement grows each year, organizers say they continue to see more people practising kindness — both on- and offline — and funds raised through official merchandise sales and donations help support hundreds of children affected by bullying.
