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Local anti-bullying group attracts attention from CNN

Published 11:00am Friday, August 19, 2011
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The Community Against Bullying’s first big fundraiser is a week away, and organizers couldn’t be more excited.

The group has T-shirts ready to order. The fundraising locations around town are set. There’s about 20 volunteers ready to ask for donations. And organizers are getting national attention from CNN.

The group will stand at intersections near Austin High School and Riverland Community College ready for donations next Friday. They hope to raise at least $2,500 — the amount the local Modern Woodman group says they’ll match. What’s more, CNN recently contacted CAB organizers to possibly do a story about the anti-bullying group, although no other details are available.

“I’m just really thrilled,” said Danielle Borgerson-Nesvold, head organizer for CAB. “If it’s drawing attention, it gives me a lot of hope that people are really excited about the changes that people can make.”

While the event will cap off CAB’s efforts to promote anti-bullying efforts, CAB organizers have plenty of activities planned this fall. Several businesses are planning fundraisers, including a fundraising night at Gymocha on Oct. 3 and several “Dine to Donate” efforts by Perkins and Ruby’s Place. CAB organizers will organize a volunteer-staffed middle school teen dance on Oct. 28 at the Holiday Inn, which includes a disc jockey, a photo booth and other entertainment. Borgerson-Nesvold said the group will try to do a big fundraising event in September as well.

The end goal is to raise $20,000 to bring The Scary Guy, a national anti-bullying spokesman, to Austin this November for a several-day program.

The Scary Guy is an award-winning anti-bullying advocate known for his tough stance on hate, prejudice and bullying, and for his tattoos, which cover about 85 percent of his body and most of his face.

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  • Lebowski

    I’m sure this group has good intentions, but what a colossal misuse of money! There has to be a better use for $20,000 than giving it to a speaker that will have minimal long-term effect on the children of this city. The schools host a number of speakers every year. Name the last one that made a lasting impact on the thoughts/actions of our kids.
    When I think of all the things 20 grand could buy for our schools, handing it over to someone who flies in and leaves a few days later is not one of the top 20,000 ideas I have. For instance, $20,000 could buy a lot more playground supervision to help fight bullying on the playground. We could get better locker room supervision at both Ellis and AHS to help reduce bullying in those problem areas. Those are just two ideas off the top of my head.
    This group needs smarter leadership. I, for one, will not donate a cent to this group until they are putting money into things that will actually reduce bullying rather than symbolic nonsense like motivational speakers. It’s too bad Matt Foley passed away. He was way cheaper than $20,000.

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  • Lebowski

    CEW, If you read my previous message and came away with the idea that I care one bit about the Scary Guy’s tattoos or piercings then you need to work on your reading comprehension. I have been quite clear in my comments here that my opposition is based on the enormous waste of money this venture represents. But then again you already know that.
    As part of the “team” you stand to gain financially from every visit Scary makes here in America. As part of the “team” you are going to predict grand results from a short term visit to our town, and will have no accountability when said results don’t occur. This is an shameful scam being perpetrated against our community, and you are complicit in that scam.
    For years we pumped thousands of dollars into the D.A.R.E. program here in Austin. We thought we could pay speakers to come into our schools and talk kids out of substance abuse. That approach failed miserably then and will fail miserably again with the Scary Guy.
    This is a massive waste of money. There are people with practical and proactive ideas about how to fight this problem right here in our city. We’re cheap! We’ll share our ideas with you for free, and some of us even have tattoos! LOL

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