Pink Shirt Day was on February 23rd this year. Now a national initiative, Pink Shirt Day had humble beginnings. It all started in small-town Nova Scotia. In 2007, a group of teenagers wore a pink shirt in support of a boy in Grade 9 that was bullied for wearing a pink shirt to school. The group decided to buy 50 pink tank tops, send a message to all the boys in the school, and distribute them the next day. The grade 9 boy was never bullied again.

Today, over $2.5 million has been raised to support anti-bullying programs at Clubs. This year, we have had the great pleasure of working with Side Hustle Signs by D and Sign Designs by Jenny. Both small businesses created shirts to recognize Pink Shirt Day and chose us as recipients of a portion of the proceeds!

Sign Designs by Jenny raised $50! Based in Rodney, Ontario, Jen’s business started out as a hobby and blossomed into a thriving business. From custom-made signs, to mugs, to t-shirts, and everything else in between, there is something for everyone. See the Pink Shirt Day t-shirts below!

Check out Sign Designs by Jenny on Instagram and Facebook.

Side Hustle Signs by D raised $1,200, doubling their donation from last year! Even though Danielle’s business is no longer a side hustle, she continues to keep the name, as her first job will always be being a mom. Based in London, Ontario, Side Hustle Signs by D is great for all your signage needs. See the shirts made for Pink Shirt Day below!

Check out Side Hustle Signs by D on Instagram or Facebook.

Donations from the t-shirt sales were allocated to the Club’s Social and Mental Health program, which helps children and youth learn about themselves, build resiliency and confidence, and learn practical life skills.

To celebrate Pink Shirt Day, children in the program traced their hands and wrote in a kind message. These messages are posted at the Club as a reminder to everyone to be kind to one another!