To wrap up Pink Day, the national anti-bullying campaign, a Lake Lenore mother and educator spoke about her family's experiences with bullying, cyber-harassment and suicide. Kim Hartl has made it her mission to educate people about bullying and the tragic consequences of misused technology. She spoke to a large audience at the Lake Lenore School Gym on February 27. 

Her message was delivered under the banner "Changing the world one day at a time: there is hope." She explained that after the loss of her son to suicide over a year ago, more details came to light about a campaign of social media deception and cyber-harassment that her late son, Craig, had suffered. The experience compounded in his life with increased feelings of anxiety and depression. Now, a year later following intensive study in a variety of holistic support systems, Hartl has picked up a microphone to spread her message of hope and healing.

She explains that this is a new venture for her and her family and she outlines one of the key messages, "We decided about six months after Craig passed away that we were going to start doing something to make people aware of what's happening out there, because with technology, if we don't do something, twenty-five years from now, we may be losing a lot more children."

Another key message was that people are not alone and that seeking help is not a sign of weakness. To illustrate the stigma, Hartl used an eloquent hockey analogy of a goalie facing the opposition, armed with a bucket of pucks, without any teammates. She reminded the audience that supports such as counsellors, friends, family, and teachers are all part of that support team. Hartl's study has armed her with a variety of approaches, all of which have benefits for bullies, victims of bullying, and those suffering from anxiety and depression. She elaborates, "I started studying jin shin jyutsu (body pressure points) in 2013, and after Craig passed away I started studying access bars (head pressure points). I've taken hypnotherapy and several classes in chakra healing." 

Hartl hopes to package information in an accessible way both through her presentations.