Colonial Park Mall is giving away Buddy Benches to local elementary schools through an Essay Contest happening now through October 1. The Buddy Bench movement was started in 2013 by a Pennsylvania first grader named Christian as a way to eliminate loneliness and foster friendship on the playground. Any child who feels lonely or needs someone to play with can sit on the bench, and a classmate will invite him or her to play. It is a simple idea that has already spread to school playgrounds around the country, and Colonial Park Mall is thrilled to award Buddy Benches to Harrisburg-area schools. 

The Essay Contest is open to all area school children ages 5 to 12. Essays of no more than 500 words should be written as a letter to the principal stating why the student thinks their school should have a Buddy Bench, how they plan to educate their peers about the Buddy Bench, and what they will do to ensure its success. Essays must be submitted by October 1 to [email protected].

 “When we learned about the Buddy Bench, we knew it was a perfect fit for us,” said Susan Ariail, Marketing Director for the mall. “Each year, Colonial Park Mall plays an important role in sending kids back to school with confidence, and this year we are proud to be supporting this wonderful message of inclusion and kindness. We are also excited and appreciative to be working with Dauphin County Technical School whose students are creating these very special benches as a part of their curriculum.”

For more information, visit colonialparkmall.com or contact Susan Ariail at 717-545-0357. To see a sample Buddy Bench, visit the center court area of the mall now through October 1. For more information about Christian and the Buddy Bench program, visit his website at Buddybench.org.