Stories
Current Category: Inspired Fundraising
‘You Can Sit With Us’
Posted: 5/7/2015
While talking about kindness during class, 13 eighth grade girls discussed bullying and ways they could make an impact. They decided they would always stand up against bullying and wanted to take further action. From this discussion, the idea of raising money for a bullying prevention organization with a T-shirt sale was born. Each week, the girls spent time during class to create the shirt. As a group, they decided on the slogan “You can sit with us,” with a peace sign on the back. Each girl shared a word that described kindness, which was placed within the peace sign. Words included: strong, brave, confident, inviting, optimistic and supportive. Every week, the girls continued to discuss bullying and kindness, searching for new ways to improve their community. They will be selling the shirts during lunch hour and hope to see every student at their school wearing this message of kindness!
By: Anonymous
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The Not Perfect Hat Club — Celebrating Each Child’s Unique Gifts
Posted: 4/10/2015
CritterKin’s “Not Perfect Hat Club” is an engaging, entertaining and delightfully playful way to teach kids that perfection is not an option. It grew out of CritterKin’s visits with elementary school students who repeatedly said negative things about themselves and their work. It was clear we needed to find a way to help the kids set their judgments aside and trust both themselves and the creative process.
In its first incarnation, the “Not Perfect Hat Club” was not a club at all, just a battered, green sun hat that Jena wore to class one day to make the kids laugh. When they asked why she was wearing it, she told them it was her “Not Perfect Hat” and asked them why it’s important to wear one. A lively discussion followed about what it means to be “Not Perfect,” in which the kids imagined and described their own “Not Perfect” hats.
The Not Perfect Hat Club has since grown into an illustrated CritterKin storybook, lesson guides and a variety of project based learning activities that encourage kids to throw perfection to the wind, trust themselves and explore their creativity.
$1 from every book CritterKin’s book sold will be donated to PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center.
By: Anonymous
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Romantic novel author finds inspiration from Unity Day
Posted: 3/9/2015
“I first learned about PACER when Ellen spotlighted the organization’s Unity day. So earlier this year, when my older son (10) was dealing with bullying at school, your work immediately came to mind. My son has mild Tourette’s Syndrome that manifests in twitching and other verbal and non-verbal tics. He’s been bullied and mocked before at other schools, but this time around he was the one stepping in to protect younger children being bullied by the boys in his class. I was so proud of him for wanting to be a knight in shining armor, but putting himself in the line of fire resulted in him being physically threatened, teased, and ostracized. I watched the light go out of his eyes a little more every day and it was so painful for our entire family to see our happy boy shut down emotionally. We ended up transferring my son to a charter school, where he has thrived.
That’s why I wrote SUNNY WITH A CHANCE OF TRUE LOVE and decided to donate 50% of the first month’s proceeds to PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center. I wanted to do something to help children who experienced similar, hurtful bullying situations. After publishing this romantic novel, so many women came forward with stories of their own bullying or situations where their children were struggling with bullying. This fundraiser not only ended in a nice sum to donate, but it also reminded me about the power of kindness and good people working together.”
— Jessie Evans
By: Jessie Evans
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Buckets vs. Bullying
Posted: 9/12/2014
This past summer, James and Jack decided to bring together their passions for basketball and bullying prevention. James and Jack had participated in WE DAY and learned that “charity should not be ‘work’, instead it should stem from joy.” This is what led to their great idea for a summer camp, Buckets vs. Bullies. James and his brother Jack wanted to use their joy in life, basketball, to help stop bullying. They held two camp session in the summer for boys and girls ages 6 to 10 and donated proceeds to PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center. Participants enjoyed a week full of basketball fun, while supporting a great cause! At the end of the camp session, the brothers raised $1,050 to donate to PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center to help prevent bullying!
By: Anonymous
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One Step Closer
Posted: 7/1/2014
Middle school students Allison, Malisha, and Dori wanted to educate people about bullying. So they set up a stand in their community center to educate adults and students in their community about how bullying affects students and what they can do to stop it. They also collected donations to send to PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center. They write, “You have inspired our group to help our community and stop bullying! all of our group now feels like we have done something that is helping the community. We hope we helped with your program and we now know we are one step closer to stopping bullying!”
By: Anonymous
WALK IT OFF FOR CHARITY
Posted: 5/23/2014
The following is an interview with Devon Kungas, who in the summer of 2014 will be walking across America to raise money for bullying prevention.
Your walk is titled “walk it off for charity.” What is the inspiration for the name?
The title is based on an old saying: "walk it off." When I was a child and I got hurt, I heard people say "just walk it off." I thought it was a fun, little play on words to show what I am doing and what I am doing it for.
What is the goal for your walk?
My main goal is enjoy the open road. Be free. To find and see things I have never seen before. If I can make money for PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center, then I’ll be even happier.
What motivated you to make the decision to do this?
I got tired of living a boring life as a dishwasher and not feeling fulfilled. I have always wanted to go on this kind of adventure and thought now was the best time to do it.
How would you define success?
Success to me is the feeling you get at the end of the day knowing you did something good.
Connect with Devon on Facebook and watch progress at facebook.com/WalkItOffForCharity
By: Anonymous
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Shine Bullying Prevention
Posted: 5/14/2014
Madison Cantwell knows what it’s like to be bullied. And she’s determined to prevent it from happening to anyone else. After winning the title of Miss Heart of the Ozarks International, Madison has visited schools, created a Facebook page, and gotten her community involved in Unity Day. She even created a pageant, Little Miss and Miss Belle, to benefit PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center – and raised over $1,000! The students Madison speaks to are truly touched by her efforts, her listening ear, and her story.
“I personally suffered through bullying for about 6 years or so, and it is without a doubt the most haunting experience I have ever been through. Not only did I go through this myself, I also witnessed my best friend face the same tribulation. I have been surrounded by verbal, physical, and cyber bullying for most of my school years. Even when it wasn't happening to me or a close friend, it was most definitely still present. Bullying breaks my heart, and it has left the deepest scars in me. Throughout my bullying prevention adventures, I have heard so many stories and had so many children and adults confide in me. I've had children tell me that I have given them the courage to tell their teacher about what's happening to them at school. I've had teens tell me I've given them hope even during a time that seems so dark, nearing the point of suicidal thoughts. I even had one parent come to me in tears after I spoke at an event, thanking me for speaking out because so many people in this world are afraid to do so; his son attempted suicide because of bullying last December, and he called his son over to come and talk with me a while, and it was one of the most beautiful things to be able to be a positive ray of light for someone who is struggling to that extent. After everything I've been through, I feel that is is my duty to make sure that no one else ever has to endure the same terrible things. Every life I change, every smile I bring to a victim's face, every attitude towards bullying that I change makes my broken heart and those deep scars so very worth the pain.
“I’ve spoken at several different schools in Northwest Arkansas about bullying, read bullying prevention stories (including The Legend of Spookley the Square Pumpkin) to children at the library, spoken at various events in Northwest Arkansas, encouraged my friends and family to wear orange on Unity Day, and hosted my own fundraising pageant (Little Miss and Miss Belle 2014) to benefit PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center. I hand out PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center’s bookmarks wherever I can, and I’ve started my own Facebook page, SHINE Bullying Prevention. Through these endeavors, I have raised $1,000 for PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center, which I will be withdrawing from the online fundraising site soon in order to place my donation. The young woman who won my bullying prevention pageant is a victim of bullying herself, and she and I are planning events together for the near future. We just recently spoke to about 280 elementary school students and then to the 5th and 6th graders of a local school. Miss Belle was moved to tears as she talked about her experiences with bullying. The response the children had to our message absolutely blew me away. We really got through to them, and that will never stop filling me with amazement and providing me with hope for a bully-free future.”
By: Anonymous
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Be a Friend, Bring a Friend, Make a Friend
Posted: 1/24/2014
For her 11th birthday party, Anistyn thought big…and kind! Anistyn held a Be a Friend, Bring a Friend, Make a Friend party, to which she invited everyone in her middle school for music, dancing, and food – all created by kids and teens! Anistyn remembers her mom telling her that for every one mean person, there are ten more that are nice. So Anistyn made the theme of her party: “When we stand together, no one stands alone.” About a new friend who has a disability, Anistyn writes, “No one was laughing at Estelle or making fun of her when she got on stage and sang along. We had fun helping her and being nice to her. This was one of my favorite parts of the entire night because I realized how fun it is to be friends with people who are different.” To top it all off, Anistyn gave up her birthday presents this year in order to donate to PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center. She and her friends raised over $1,300 to help kids who have been bullied! Read more.
By: Anonymous
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Tri-City United Schools Inspire Basketball Fans
Posted: 1/22/2014
Tri-City United High School’s Gay Straight Alliance wanted to raise awareness of bullying at their school in a way that would get their classmates fired up about the issue. Knowing that their school’s basketball team was popular on and off the court, these students decided to link bullying prevention and basketball in one big awareness-raising event. Before the game, the GSA sold white t-shirts for the “White Out” games and donated the proceeds to PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center. At the game, fans signed a banner to pledge their support of bullying prevention. After half time, players ran through another banner to signify busting out of bullying. Whether their team won or lost, these students had great success in raising awareness of bullying in their community. Read more.
By: Anonymous
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Trevin Hunte Supports Pacer
Posted: 9/23/2013
Trevin Hunte from NBC’s The Voice (Season 3, Team Ceelo) is speaking out about bullying prevention on behalf of PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center. “I personally know because I have experienced bullying,” he says. “That is why I support bullying campaigns every chance I can, because I don’t want kids to feel like they are alone, because they are not the only ones who have gone through it.”
Trevin says, “I am fortunate to be able to combine two of my passions, my music and to give to PACER with my Pledgemusic fundraiser campaign www.pledgemusic.com/trevinhunte. With the campaign, I am raising money for my music project, while a percentage of the pledges goes to Pacer.”
By: Anonymous
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