CGS debuts 'Buddy Bench'
<p dir="ltr"><span>No one deserves to be left out at recess.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>On Wednesday, Chester Grade School took delivery of a "Buddy Bench," which is intended to eliminate loneliness and foster friendship on the playground, according to CGS Principal Tim Lochhead.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>"I had seen it on Facebook, but then a parent contact me last spring and that was the Youngs," Lochhead said, referring to Leslie and Mike Young. "They had donated something to the high school and they saw this Buddy Bench and called me and asked me if I would be interested in something like that."</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>CGS's Buddy Bench is dedicated to the memory of Rebecca Young, the daughter of Mike and Leslie who suffered fatal injuries in a December 2011 car accident on State Route 3 north of Chester.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>"I think I saw it on Facebook where another school had done it," Leslie Young said. "I saw where Ultra Play had a picture of a Buddy Bench and we went with that."</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Ultra Play is a Red Bud-based company that manufactures playground equipment. Lochhead said custodian Tim Paulus put it together after arrival.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>"We located it out where everybody could see it," Lochhead said. "It's a different color than our other benches, which helps signify it."</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>The idea behind the Buddy Bench is If a child needs a play buddy for recess, they sit on the bench and, hopefully, other children ask them to join in their activity.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>"If a child doesn't have someone to play with, they can sit on the bench and somebody - and the aides will hopefully watch - will help get them involved in activities," Lochhead said "The whole bullying thing has become huge and we're going to try and implement a bus program this year.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>"This is a real hot topic and there has become much more awareness to that and we're trying to help as much as we can."</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>The blue bench is located on the edge of CGS's playground and is ready for use for the start of classes on Aug. 19.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>"It's just a win-win, feel-good situation," Lochhead said.</span>