Approximately 50 children, teens and their parents, grandparents or mentors, enjoyed a one-man show educating them on the realities of bullying, cyberbullying, and exclusion. Tim Collins’ powerful performance engaged the audience in a deep conversation on how to prevent bullying and cyberbullying in our schools. Tim is an award winning actor, writer, and solo performer who has performed across the country and is originally from Sherrill.
Organized by Community Action Partnership for Madison County and the Madison County Department of Social Services. The event was open to the public, it took place on Wednesday, Nov. 15, at ARC’s Winoa Hall in Oneida.
The audience was captivated while Tim spun out the story, portraying the various roles of the bystander, the accomplice, the teacher, and the friend of the bullied boy. The powerful performance demonstrated what several of the young people in the audience have witnessed playing out in their own lives. Its ageless appeal was obvious by the adults in the room who expressed that the scene was reminiscent of their own experiences and those of their children.
In addition to the trauma of traditional bullying antics, demonstrations of current bullying modes such as social media, videotaping, and cyberbullying were part of the presentation. Throughout the performance, the different characters Tim portrayed engaged in conversations with the audience about actions they could have taken to prevent bullying from happening, the audience acknowledged that we are accomplices if we witness bullying and not doing anything to stop it. Visit Tim’s website for more information on his show and anti-bullying resources at timcollinsonline.com.
The event was one more example of the opportunities that CAP brings to Madison County residents. Since 1983, CAP has been providing a refuge and safe environment for families, children, adults and the community. CAP currently operates 11 programs focused on helping households meet their diverse needs – from housing, food insecurity, employment, transportation, mentoring, parenting skills, pre-natal and infant nutrition, counseling, and family stability.
A highlight of the night was the recognition that an important part of the solution is to be a good community member. If you are interested in serving your community, CAP is currently recruiting adults interested in becoming a volunteer mentor for children and youth. For more information on CAP’s services and contact information visit capmadco.org.