Cornwall goes pink for a day

Image of Nick Seebruch
By Nick Seebruch
Cornwall goes pink for a day
Members of the P38 team in their best pink for Pink Shirt Day 2020 (Nick Seebruch/ Seaway News).

CORNWALL, Ontario – Businesses, organizations, political officials, and residents around Cornwall donned pink shirts on Wednesday, Feb. 26 to mark Pink Shirt Day.

Pink Shirt Day began in Canada in 2007 after two high school boys stood up for a classmate who was the victim of homophobic bullying after wearing a pink shirt to school.

The sale of the pink shirts goes to benefit the Boys and Girls Club. Jacquie Richards, Executive Director of the Cornwall Boys and Girls Club said that thousands of shirts had been purchased this year and that hundreds of businesses from across the Cornwall and the United Counties of SD&G were participating.

“There is a lot of pink out there today, which makes us really proud,” Richards said.

Richards explained the importance of Pink Shirt Day and how it opens the conversation about bullying.

“We know bullying exists, but this brings it front and centre,” she said. “It is not a one person solution. Pink Shirt Day brings the community together to talk about it with our kids.”

This year, 2020, is the tenth anniversary since the Boys and Girls Club of Cornwall first introduced Pink Shirt Day to the area.

For the Boys and Girls Club, Pink Shirt Day is as much about celebration as it is about learning. Richards said that all of the Boys and Girls Club of Cornwall sites would have anti-bullying activities on Wednesday, as well as some fun celebrations.

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