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The Community Foundation of Middlesex County and its Council of Business Partners is pleased to announce the Bully-Free Communities Spotlight Award to be given to Middlesex County schools that encourage students, faculty and staff to stand together for change and stand up to mean-spirited behavior. The award opportunity is for programs implemented at K-12 schools in the towns of Chester, Clinton, Cromwell, Deep River, Durham, East Haddam, East Hampton, Essex, Haddam, Killingworth, Middlefield, Middletown, Old Saybrook, Portland, and Westbrook. Continue Reading »

Cast of Polka Dots gives high fives to their audience.

Broadway actor Douglas Lyons signs Anti-Bully Pledge at Ivoryton Playhouse

The Community Foundation of Middlesex County (CFMC) recently presented the Bully-Free Communities Spotlight Award to the Ivoryton Playhouse and to Broadway actor Douglas Lyons for their work in creating and presenting educational productions that foster positive, healthy behaviors and attitudes among young people. The recipients were recognized at the April 11 world premiere of “Polkadots:The Cool Kids Musical,” which was co-conceived and written by Lyons and performed at the Playhouse for over 1400 elementary school students from Clinton, Chester, Deep River, Essex, Middletown, and Portland, in addition to the general public. The CFMC Council of Business Partners Fund, a donor advised fund started in 2009 by a group of local business owners in support of school-based anti-bullying initiatives, in partnership with other organizations, provided financial support for the production and, when necessary, bus transportation for the school systems. Continue Reading »

On October 21, 2015 (Unity Day), the Community Foundation of Middlesex County and its Council of Business Partners hosted the second annual Rally for Bully-Free Communities. Close to three hundred students, teachers and partners from across Middlesex County and around the region attended the event. The students participated in team building activities led by Empower, The First Tee of Connecticut, and Rushford. Donny Marshall, Campaign Spokesman, encouraged everyone to be an UP-stander, not a bystander.

Check out the students standing together for bully-free communities:          (thanks to our many photographers on site, including Cobi O’Connell, Jane Raunikar, EMPOWER)

The Campaign for Bully-Free Communities includes the following partners with the CFMC Council of Business Partners:  Connecticut Association of Schools; EMPOWER; The First Tee of Connecticut; LiveKind; Donny Marshall; Rushford, a Hartford Healthcare Partner; and iCRV Radio.

The bully-free website provides other free resources including ideas to host your own rally or sign our pledge.

Over 300 participate in Campaign for Bully-Free Communities Rally; Chester Elementary School and Woodrow Wilson Middle School in Middletown receive $500 Grants.

Middlesex County students, educators, business owners and civic leaders came out in numbers to rally for bully-free communities at the Empower Leadership Sports Center in Middletown on October 21, in recognition of Unity Day and National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month. Organized by the Community Foundation of Middlesex County (CFMC) and its Council of Business Partners, the Campaign for Bully-Free Communities Rally included team building activities, guest speakers and the presentation of the inaugural Bully-Free Communities Spotlight Award before a crowd of an estimated 300 people. Awards, with a grant of $500 each, were presented to Chester Elementary School, located in the town of Chester, and Woodrow Wilson Middle School located in Middletown. Campaign spokesperson and former UCONN/NBA basketball star Donny Marshall was also recognized for his individual contribution and dedication to the cause.

Continue Reading »

Did you catch Dave Shulman and Liz Shulman of CFMC Council of Business Partners on Better Connecticut? They were talking about the Campaign for Bully-Free Communities and the 2nd annual Rally:

WFSB Better Connecticut

Rally for Bully-Free Communities on October 21, 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. (Grades 5-12)

We are thrilled to announce that the second annual Rally for Bully-Free Communities will take place during National Bullying Prevention Awareness month on October 21 (Unity Day).

Once again, the good folks at EMPOWER Leadership Sports in Middletown have generously offered to host the rally on their grounds. The Council of Business Partners at CFMC will provide free bus transportation for all Middlesex County middle and high school students and educators who want to attend this informational and motivational event.

Please RSVP by October 5 by email to Doretta@MiddlesexCountyCF.org or by phone to (860) 347-0025.

Spotlight Award

Our other exciting news is the establishment of the Bully-Free Communities Spotlight Award to be given to Middlesex County schools that encourage students, faculty and staff to stand together for change and stand up to mean-spirited behavior.  The award opportunity, which includes a grant, plaque and award presentation publicity, is for programs that have been implemented in K-12 schools in the towns of Chester, Clinton, Cromwell, Deep River, Durham, East Haddam, East Hampton, Essex, Haddam, Killingworth, Middlefield, Middletown, Old Saybrook, Portland, and Westbrook.  Please take a moment to review the award criteria details and application form online and consider submitting your school’s program.  The first honorees will be recognized at the October rally.