February 25 is Pink Shirt Day, Canada’s national stand‑against‑bullying movement held every year on the last Wednesday of February. What began as a simple act of compassion in a Nova Scotia high school has grown into an international symbol of solidarity, kindness, and courage.
The story goes back to 2007, when Berwick teens Travis Price and David Shepherd stepped in after a ninth‑grader, Chuck McNeill, was bullied for wearing a pink shirt on his first day of school. The next morning, they handed out 50 pink shirts to classmates — a quiet but powerful message that no one deserves to be singled out or shamed for being themselves.
That moment sparked a movement. Nova Scotia declared an official anti‑bullying day, British Columbia followed, and soon the last Wednesday of February became Canada’s national Pink Shirt Day. In 2012, the United Nations recognized May 4 as the global date, but many countries — including the U.S., U.K., Australia, New Zealand, Lebanon, and France — continue to join Canada in marking it in February.
The message behind the pink is serious. Research shows 1 in 4 kids will be bullied during adolescence, and 71% of those who are bullied continue to face repeated harassment. Studies have even linked bullying to long‑term mental health impacts, including a heightened risk of suicide. Pink Shirt Day exists to break that cycle through awareness, education, and community action.
Across schools, workplaces, and neighbourhoods, people come together today for rallies, workshops, and conversations that promote empathy, inclusion, and the belief that everyone deserves to feel safe.
Before you head out in your pink today, here’s your Tillsonburg fuel update:
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Pioneer: $124.9
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Esso: $123.9
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Shell: $128.9
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Petro Canada: $124.9
A small gesture — a pink shirt — can send a big message. Kindness is contagious, and today is a reminder that standing up for one another is something we can all do.
