More than 100 bikers roared down the streets of Kelowna Friday to try to help put a stop to bullying of a local elementary student.
They gathered at the local Harley Davidson dealership on McCurdy Road and paraded to Springvalley Elementary, where 12-year-old Keenan McDonald studies.
The event was organized by Keenan’s father.
“It just seemed to me that there was nothing getting done and when Keenan told me nobody is doing anything — to me that was a red flag that I needed to do something,” Warren McDonald said.
The RCMP were there to make sure there were no traffic disruptions. Even the superintendent of SD23 showed up to have a look.
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“A group of parents in the community and their colleagues wanted to make a statement in terms of rallying against bullying. They did so in a way that was minimal in interruption in the day and we appreciate that,” Kevin Kaardal said.
Apparently this type of rally produces results. One biker group — that rode all the way from Calgary — dedicates itself to putting a stop to bullying and according to them — it works.
“We had one child who rode to school a couple of years ago and he actually came forward to us this year and said, ‘You know, if it wasn’t for you guys getting involved, riding us (me) to school a couple of times, I was very close to the edge’. So yeah, we feel we have results,” said Cory Ripley of Bikers Against Bullying.
And it looks like Keenan won’t need any more escorts to school. His mother said the bullies and her son have patched things up.
“The kids have eased up on the picking,” Crissy McDonald said. “It has kind of come to a stop and we’re actually trying to build together. And the school is doing a great job of making these kids work together and to see that a difference doesn’t make you a bad person — a difference makes you an individual and you’ve got to learn to be together.”
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