A new organization has started an initiative to put an end to bullying in Greene County.

Dave and Cheryl Dideriksen are the coordinators for the Bully Project In Greene County (B.I.G.).  Cheryl says they wanted to do something after several students and parents told her about bullying situations on the school bus.  They got together with Sheriff Steve Haupert and started the organization to bring about community awareness and get Iowa designated as part of the national Bully Project.

Dave says bullying happens everywhere, not just in the schools.  So they want to expand their focus to include the whole county.

“We’re doing this sort of community-wide.  We want to get all six towns involved with this so that we can raise awareness and just share resources that are available to everybody whether it be a parent, a kid, a co-worker, a teacher or a boss.  To give them resources to reduce and eventually eliminate bullying.”

B.I.G. is sponsoring a kick-off event to bring the topic of bullying to the forefront.  A special event is planned for Saturday, February 21st at the Jefferson Elks Lodge.  Plans are to show a documentary about bullying in schools which highlights a kid from Sioux City, Iowa.  There will also be guest speakers taking questions and comments from attendees about bullying and providing places and people that can help with those situations.

Cheryl adds that they want to educate everyone about bullying so that the community can do it’s part to stop it from happening.