Highlights include: Upcoming rally October 22, 2014, in Middletown, Conn., coinciding with National Anti-bullying Month and Unity Day.
Working to prevent bullying, a group of Middlesex County business leaders and the Community Foundation of Middlesex County (CFMC) announce the Campaign for Bully-Free Communities.
Aiming to highlight the No Bully Zone Program underwritten by the Council of Business Partners Fund created through CFMC, the campaign will rally Middlesex County individuals, businesses, municipalities, school districts, libraries and other community organizations to “stand together” for a Bully-Free community.
“Bullying has destructive consequences on our young people, and it is something we don’t have to accept. It is a social behavior we’d like to see change,” said Dave Director, Council of Business Partners Chair and CFMC Board member. He also is President/owner of Connecticut Lighting Centers of Hartford and Southington.
“Our feeling [as business owners] is these kids are our future employees, and we need to do what we can to provide them with the necessary tools to be successful in society and to feel good about themselves,” Director said. “We’ve initiated a program that will truly make a difference in their lives, and in all of our lives, too.”
In 2009, working through the Community Foundation of Middlesex County, the Council of Business Partners Fund was established and with the help of Rushford, a Hartford Healthcare Partner, the “No Bully Zone” program was developed and funded. Council members contribute $1,000 annually along with $5,000 to $7,000 donated annually from the Interfaith Golf Open Tournament of Middletown which consists of Congregation Adath Israel of Middletown, CT and St. Mary’s Catholic Church of Portland, CT. The Interfaith Golf Tournament is also a Council member.
In coordinating the Campaign for Bully-Free Communities, CFMC and the Council of Business Partners has joined forces with the Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS); EMPOWER; The First Tee of Connecticut; LiveKind; Rushford, A Hartford Healthcare Partner; Former NBA and UCONN basketball player Donny Marshall; and Elizabeth Shulman (LMFT), to encourage everyone in Middlesex County to take a pledge to stand together against bullying and all mean-spirited behavior.
To date, the partnership has implemented the No Bully Zone Program in Keigwin Middle and Woodrow Wilson Middle schools in Middletown; in the Haddam-Killingworth school district; in Oddfellows Playhouse projects; The Country School; and in conjunction with The First Tee of Connecticut youth programs. Most recently, the program was adapted for school bus travel on buses operated by M&J Bus Inc.
“The No Bully Zone Program has been a very successful initiative, and we are proud to come together as a community to provide positive and useful tools to not only our young people but, also to everyone no matter what age they are,” said Cynthia Clegg, CFMC President and CEO.
The Campaign for Bully-Free Communities will be ongoing, with a kick-off rally on October 22, 2014 that is Unity Day, the highlight of October’s national bullying prevention month. The rally will be held at EMPOWER, located at 2011 South Main Street in Middletown.
The Community Foundation of Middlesex County (CT) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life in Middlesex County. Its two-fold mission is: (1) to work with charitably- minded individuals and organizations to build permanent endowments and other charitable funds; and (2) to support local nonprofit organizations through effective grant making and multiple programs to address community needs. Since its founding in 1997, the Community Foundation has provided over 1,100 grants totaling more than $3.6 million to organizations for the arts, cultural and heritage programs, educational activities, environmental improvements, and for health and human services.
The Council of Business Partners includes: John Sullivan of A&A Office Systems; Arlene Mazzotta and Laura Pedersen of A.R. Mazzotta Employment Specialists; William, Susan and Shawn McCann of BEST Cleaners; Colin Burr of Brown & Brown of CT, Inc.; David Director of Connecticut Lighting Centers, Inc.; David Gilbert of Direct Energy; William McMinn of Essex Printing/Events Magazines; Daniel Zimmerman of LiveKind; Mauricio Salgar of Gabrielle’s/The Black Seal; James Mahoney of Mahoney Sabol & Co., LLP; Marc Levin of Mallove’s Jewelers; Karen Beebe of M & J Bus Company; Theodore Rossi of The Rossi Group; David Shulman of Suburban Stationers, Inc.; Attorney Nancy Raczka; and St. Mary’s Church in Portland and Congregation Adath Israel in Middletown of the Interfaith Golf Open Tournament.
For more information on the Campaign for Bully-Free Communities, go to middlesexcountycf.org or call 860.347.0025.
