Port Coquitlam will continue its stand against bullying on Feb. 28 with activities aimed at raising awareness and providing tools to address bullying and promote the importance of choosing kindness.

The City’s Youth Services Division is co-hosting the Kindness Counts Breakfast on Feb. 28 from 7:30-10:30 am at the Hyde Away Youth Centre in partnership with I Am Someone Society and BC 211. Youth from local middle and secondary schools will gather for a pink-themed event including breakfast snacks, and educational activities on how to deal with bullying led by the Poco Youth Crew, the local volunteer youth group. Food and beverage items are donated by the Port Coquitlam Safeway store and the Prairie Avenue Starbucks. The event is free. Register at www.experienceit.ca using the bar code 26005.

Other activities include:

• Port Coquitlam City Council will wear pink and proclaim Feb. 28 as Pink Shirt Stop Bullying Day at the Feb. 27 Council meeting. Members from the Poco Youth Crew will accept the proclamation, and speak about their volunteer work in the community.
• City Hall will be lit up Pink on Feb. 27 and 28.
• Anti-bullying information and resources are posted online at portcoquitlam.ca/stopbullying and on resource boards at the Hyde Away and Offside Youth Centres.

This is the City’s eleventh year taking part in the national anti-bullying movement that started in 2007 after students in Nova Scotia rallied around a boy who was bullied for wearing a pink polo shirt.

Local youth, adults and children are encouraged to wear something pink on Feb. 28 to raise awareness about bullying, which occurs in schools, workplaces, homes and on the internet.

I Am Someone is a group of community volunteers who partnered with BC 211 and TELUS to develop and maintain BC’s first ever professional texting platform for youth dealing with issues ranging from bullying, addictions, homelessness, abuse, and mental health. BC211 is an information and referral organization that provides free, confidential multilingual texting support service that connects people to community, social and government services.

For more information about the Stop Bullying Day events, visit www.pocoyouth.com or www.portcoquitlam.ca/stopbullying or contact Youth Services at 604.927.7981.

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CONTACT:
Chris Eastman, Recreation Program Coordinator
Recreation Department
City of Port Coquitlam
T: 604.927.7981
E: eastmanc@portcoquitlam.ca