The Red Cross are promoting special merchandise for their annual #PinkDay, and encouraging local schools and businesses to participate in the annual event.
Stewart Kerr, community outreach coordinator for the Canadian Red Cross, stopped at the Weyburn Review office to display some of the merchandise.
“The Red Cross Pink Day will be happening on February 22. We are trying to engage not only schools, which is something most people are familiar with, but also to engage businesses throughout communities,” said Kerr.
The #PinkDay shirts and socks are available for purchase online at www.campaigns.redcross.ca/PinkDaySK-Order. In addition to purchasing merchandise for their own office, businesses can also sponsor a classroom or a local school.
Pink Day T-Shirts cost $20 each. There is information online about pricing options for sponsoring a classroom or school.
Proceeds from the Pink Day merchandise sales will help support anti-bullying programs held by the Canadian Red Cross.
“The Pink Day is a time to get a lot of attention put on the ‘Imagine No Bullying’ campaign, and we want to reach every child with the message. We feel that it is a positive message we can bring to students. Almost everybody has been affected by bullying at some point in their life.”
“Red Cross Pink Day is a special day where we can engage everyone, and encourage residents to come together and focus on bullying issues.”
The Canadian Red Cross works with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in holding “Respect Education” courses at interested schools. Since 2010, several Rider players have been trained by the Red Cross to deliver bullying prevention presentations to youth.
The players speak to students about how to take a stand and stop bullying before it starts.
Each year, players are trained by the Red Cross to speak about bullying. The Red Cross bullying prevention education is evidence-based and explores all aspects of bullying and peer harassment.
Last year, more than 20,000 students were reached through these presentations. This Red Cross program is also recommended as a resource by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education.
Ten years ago, in 2007, a Grade 9 student in Cambridge, N.S. was bullied by classmates for wearing a pink shirt to school. Taking notice, two Grade 12 students named Travis Price and David Shepherd rallied their friends to send a message to the bullies. The next day the halls were filled with students in pink t-shirts. This was the beginning of Pink Day.
Red Cross Pink Day started when two boys chose do something about bullying rather than stand by and watch it happen. Now the movement is worldwide, educating and inspiring others to do something about bullying and to shift the culture away from this behaviour.
