Going Orange
Question: What happens when a Minnesota non-profit,
a Minnesota business and a Minnesota community
unite to prevent bullying?
Answer: An giant iconic statue goes orange!
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That’s what happened in the community of Blue Earth, Minnesota on Unity Day, October 9, 2013, when the Green Giant statue sported an orange toga to show support of PACER’s Unity Day. Representatives from PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center, Green Giant, and Blue Earth spoke at the event, in which Blue Earth was proclaimed “Orange Earth” in recognition of Unity Day.
In my speech, I spoke about a memory from 3rd grade in which we were given the art assignment to draw our favorite character and I drew the Green Giant. This was almost four decades ago, but I vividly remember it as I can recall how even then the Green Giant stood for goodness and strength. I shared that in the coming days, weeks, and even years from now, that I believe when people see images of the Green Giant wearing the orange toga or when they think back to the day, that they will reflect on their own “inner giant”. That they will know that this is a moment of tremendous symbolism, representing the uniting of individuals to show that people care passionately about keeping students safe.
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(chunt@faribaultcountyregister.com)
The Green Giant turned orange, the mayor declared the city's name be changed to Orange Earth and students from Blue Earth Area showed up in anti-bullying orange T-shirts. It was all part of a media event called Unity Day held last Wednesday morning at Blue Earth's Giant Park.
Co-sponsored by General Mills and their Green Giant Company, and PACER (a Minneapolis based national Bullying Prevention Center), the hope was to create a buzz in media across the country in support of October being Bullying Prevention Month.
