The Lake Country Boys and Girls Club is hosting an Identity Fair on Feb. 29 in support for Pink Shirt Day. It is part of the Bullying Stops With Me campaign.
There is a poster contest, open house and a whole week of activities leading up to the Identity Fair.
Club director Tobilynn Siemens explained the activities are centered around Pink Shirt Day, which was started a few years ago when a boy in Nova Scotia was bullied for wearing a pink shirt. When other kids in the school found out how he had been treated, they wore pink shirts in solidarity with the victim.
One of the planned activities is the poster contest for Boys and Girls Club members. It is also open to any child who wants to join the club.
The theme of the posters matches the Identity Fair, with kids telling the story of themselves in a single poster.
The posters will be hung in the gym and Boys and Girls Club facility, with some posters hung in McDonald’s.
The three top posters will be entered into a valley-wide Boys and Girls Club contest.
Members of the public and families are invited to come and view the posters during the Identity Fair and open house at the Boys and Girls Club building on Berry Road, from 4 to 6 p.m., on Feb. 29.
There will be a real opportunity to experience what the Boys and Girls Club does for children in Lake Country.
Siemens is hoping the community comes out and supports the event. “This is the kick-off for the year. Kids learn how to positively build relationships.”
The Lake Country Boys and Girls Club has more than 280 memberships, all children between the ages of infant to 18.
There is a full after school program, a day care for three to five year old children, an early childhood parent participation program and recreation programs for kids aged six to 12 and ages 13 to 17.
On any given day of the week, Siemens says more than 100 kids pass through the doors of club.