While many will wear pink shirts on Feb. 25 as part of a national anti-bullying initiative, there are no community-wide events planned in Summerland.
Tina Martin of Summerland Bully-Free said instead of rallies, flash mobs or other events, she would like to see discussion of the issue.
“I’m challenging the community to put the focus on giving kindness in the community,” she said.
She said this is a departure from the anti-bullying messages of past years. “If we are kind, it actually kiboshes bullying behaviour,” she said.
The pink T-shirts will still be part of Pink Shirt Day.
The Summerland Bully-Free shirts are available at the Summerland Visitor Centre on Highway 97 or by contacting Martin at 250-404-0301. The cost is $10 for an adult shirt and $5 for a children’s or youth’s shirt.
In addition to past events around Pink Shirt Day, Summerland Bully-Free has worked to create dialogue about bullying behaviour. In fall, a conversation cafe event was held on the topic.