Students and community members alike will once again be storming the main thoroughfare of Estevan as they call for respect.
The Red Cross Day of Pink will be held for the second year in Estevan with participants marching down Fourth Street in a pink tide. Shannon Culy, school counsellor with the Holy Family Catholic School Division and local event organizer, noted the schools will be taking part in pink shirt activities throughout the week, with the walk to be held in the middle on April 10.
There will be pink ribbon days, where students can affix ribbons to various belongings in order to show their support. She noted they will also have a token day, where students are awarded tokens for good deeds.
"If kids are out showing acts of kindness or showing caring behaviour or showing respectful behaviour, there will be tokens passed out to students, and they are asked to pass them out to other people," said Culy.
The organizers are quick to call the Day of Pink plans "weather permitting," considering the chilly and unpredictable spring we're having when compared to last year.
"Last year we were in T-shirts and sandals and no snow, and this year I'm thinking we've got two weeks to get rid of some of that snow," Culy said, noting the plan is still to hold the walk on April 10 at 1:30 p.m., beginning at the Estevan Court House.
Walking a loop around the core of the city, everyone is asked to wear their pink shirts and show their support of the event.
"It was something new last year, so we're checking to see where it is this year. Maybe next we'll partner up with a couple more of the schools and add a component," added Culy. "We thought maybe we'll hold off and see where this goes."
She said they had been kicking around some ideas, but considering the event is still in its infancy, the organizers decided to make sure there is enough support in the community to keep it going. She said bringing in a speaker is something they look at in the future.
Culy said they received lots of positive feedback after the first event, and many of the schools and community groups were asking if the walk would continue.
The T-shirts with all new designs just arrived at the school this week, so she said the students are getting excited about the day.
Students have been sharing their stories of how the previous walk has affected them, said Culy.
"I think all kids recognize that it's happening and that it's real, and there is some awareness being brought to (bullying)," she added. "Our whole focus is that there is power in numbers. If we can show our support by doing these activities, wearing the pink, it makes kids realize they're not alone. They're not the only ones suffering with it. They're not going home feeling alone, feeling invisible. It gives them that sense of hope that people are trying to do something about this."
Culy said when she went back to the City of Estevan and Estevan Police Service to let them know of the plans to walk, officials remembered last year's event and were happy to see that it was going to continue.
All community members are welcome to come out for the walk, and for those who don't have a pink shirt, Culy said any amount of pink will do the job of showing support for the walk.
"We're hoping to get more people from the community to come out and walk with our students."
