LOWER ONSLOW - It's a message that 11-year-old Kateri Dorey won't soon forget.
The Grade 6 student at Lnu Sipuk Kina'mukuoum in Indian Brook was one of about 100 students to visit RiverBreeze Farm's cornmaze yesterday morning for the second annual anti-bullying event.
"I thought it was really neat," said Kateri, following the event that saw a number of speakers, as well as a performance by musician Makayla Lynn and a visit from Cyber.
"I'm going to tell my family and friends that if they see someone being bullied, to go up and do this," she said as she hugged Rhonda Knight, a 10-year-old Grade 5 student at the same school.
Rhonda said she learned a lot at the event, including what to do if you're being bullied and where to go get help, such as the Kids Help Phone.
"You need to try and stop bullying if you see someone getting bullied," she said.
Organized by Jim Lorraine and his family, the event attracted other students from schools in Pictou County and Halifax.
"It's nice to see so many pink shirts here," said Lorraine, looking at staff and students from Gaetz Brook Junior High School.
"Many students believe they can't make a difference because they're just one person. But if you look at the most powerful man in the world, the president of the United States, you will see he got to be the most powerful person in the world by using his words. There are so many things you can do through the use of your words."
Wanting to give a bullying victim a hug, Kateri learned that tip from Pam Murchison, whose 15-year-old daughter, Jenna Bowers-Bryanton, took her own life last year because of bullying.
"Words do hurt," Murchison told the crowd. "It turned out devastatingly in my daughter's case."
Not only does Murchison want people to give bullying victims a hug, there's someone else that could use one too.
"If you're brave enough, give the bully a hug. Try to do good with the anti-bullying stuff."
Joining in on the event were Shelley Richardson with the Kids Help Phone, and Truro Police Service constables Todd Taylor and Jon Keddy, who brought along Cyber to say hello to the students.
Colchester RCMP Const. Jane MacDonald told youth people tend to forget when they're older that hands are for helping, as are words.
"We start to hurt people with our hands and words," she said.
The constable said some witnesses to bullying say it isn't their problem.
"If you see it, you are a part of it. You may not be a victim of bullying but by seeing it, you have so much power."
Students attending the event were invited to fundraise, with all money going to the Jenna Bowers-Bryanton Memorial Scholarship.
With representatives from Scotiabank on site collecting money, the financial institution matched any contributions.
More than $2,000 was raised for the scholarship.
While Lorraine was hoping for 300 to 500 students, he said the event next year will be pushed later into the school year to give students time to get into a routine before going on a fieldtrip.
rtetanish@trurodaily.com
