Submitted by Natalie Moore
Colorado Springs
Pikes Peak
I chose the Buddy Bench project for my Bronze Award because I know how hard it can be for some people to make friends.
The Buddy Bench is a brightly colored bench anyone can sit on if they feel like they could use a buddy. Maybe their friends are absent, they’re new to the school or they don’t want to play what their other friends are playing that day. Sitting on the bench lets other kids know that you could use a pal and they can go over to ask that person if they’d like to join in what they’re doing.
I was the only junior in my troop who completed my journey so I did most of this project alone. A few girls from my troop helped me with a bake sale/yard sale fundraiser and almost my whole troop came to show support at the dedication at my school.
The project started in April when I talked to my principal to ask for permission to do the Buddy Bench. He thought it was a terrific idea and he let me put a donation can with a poster outside his office for kids and teachers who wanted to help. Friends and neighbors donated items and baked goods so I could have a fundraiser yard sale/bake sale in my neighborhood. I sat with my mom & dad to research the best materials for an outdoor bench that I could afford. They helped me purchase benches online and took me to the stores I had to go to for paint and other supplies. My idea was to put in one bench but I was able to raise enough money to buy two!
Check out a video of the Buddy Bench dedication!
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dZeQXsV274&feature=youtu.be-A]
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