Back-to-School rally aimed at violence prevention
To most children, “BFF” means “best friends forever.”
Stop the Violence/Back-to-School Rally
What: The 11th annual anti-violence, anti-bullying rally presented by People Against Violence Enterprises in conjunction with the Alachua County School Board will offer entertainment for students and information for parents about registration, immunization, reduced-price lunches, bus schedules and uniforms.
When: 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, Aug. 14
Where: The Gymnasium at Santa Fe College, 3000 N.W. 83rd St.
Bonus: The first 1,200 school-aged children will receive backpacks filled with school supplies and coupons for local retailers.
For more information, call 336-0503.
But before school starts this year, the abbreviation will take on a new meaning: “Be fight free.”
That’s the theme of the 11th annual Stop the Violence/Back-to-School Rally, which will be held at a new venue this year, the Santa Fe College gymnasium, on Aug. 14 from 10 a.m. to noon.
“There was an increase in school fights this year, and we decided to target conflict resolution and drug prevention,” said the Rev. Karl Anderson, rally producer and founder of People Against Violence Enterprises.
The event, produced by PAVE in conjunction with Alachua County Public Schools, will offer students entertainment, tools for conflict resolution and the chance to receive free school supplies.
The first 1,200 school-age children in attendance will receive a free backpack filled with school supplies and coupons for local retailers, he said.
“We’re at a smaller venue this year, but we’re giving away 200 more backpacks,” Anderson said.
The organization also hopes to reach people in rural areas this year and is in the process of arranging transportation to and from some local churches, he said.
Anderson anticipates about 2,500 people will turn out despite the change of venue.
The event’s speakers will discuss practical ways students can resolve conflicts without violence, such as backing away from the situation or finding a teacher or peer to mediate the conflict.
Anderson, pastor of Upper Room Ministries, founded the organization in 2000 after a continuous stream of violent incidents in schools nationwide.
“I wanted to start something proactive to prevent something from happening here instead of being reactionary,” he said. In the rally’s 11 years, it has covered such topics as gang prevention, bullying and teen domestic violence.
The program, which began with only 100 free backpacks thanks to Gainesville’s Meridian Behavioral Healthcare Inc., now partners with the City of Gainesville, the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, Gainesville Police Department and the State Attorney’s office, he said.
Bruna Herbert, a spokeswoman for Meridian, said the company feels the event is an important social awareness opportunity.
“We support any activities in the community that promote violence prevention and promote character youth,” she said.
In addition to teaching about violence prevention, the event also will offer information for parents. Representatives from the school board will be on hand to register children and provide general information about bus schedules, uniforms and reduced-price lunches, said Jackie Johnson, public information officer for Alachua County Public Schools.
The Alachua County Health Department also will be present and administering free immunizations.