2026 Walkathon To End Bullying Recap! 👟💜

12 hours ago

3 min read

Event Recap by BAFP Marketing & Media Coordinator Daniel Simpson

The Be A Friend Project's 2026 WALKATHON TO END BULLYING was held on October 10th (during National Bullying Prevention Month!) at Westchester Community College, NY! 💯💕

Thank you to everyone who pledged, sponsored and attended. The flagship walk's location isn’t a place people happen upon and decide to join in... every walker, volunteer, Kindness Ambassador, singer, speaker, student Upstander made the trip on purpose. Everyone had a connection to this mission.

Seeing them all gathered together - and holding a banner proudly displaying our Sponsors - reminded us all that there are people who truly care and want every child to know they matter, and they are not alone.

It was a beautiful, heartfelt day that raised close to $10,000 for our mission to support students of all ages to end bullying, save lives and build kinder communities!

Special thanks to volunteers, Marc Pinieri - for sound support, and to Debora Bonacci - for stepping in as photo/videographer.

Huge special gratitude to sponsor YoBounce Party Rentals for supplying the whole Event Village! 💝 🎉 We are SO PROUD!

OPENING CEREMONY 🤩

The opening ceremony was energetically led by Teen Kindness Board members Halle Webman, Stella Khachetoorian, and Chloe Hogan, who all stressed the importance of our mission.

The spectacular mother/daughter duo STEPH AND AURORA LOTZ kicked off the Opening Ceremony!

Next, Executive Director Jennifer Young shared remarks on the statistics of bullying and its traumatic consequences.

Chloe then led an inspiring interview with HARPER MALLOW. Harper is the 11-year-old CEO/Founder of www.wecanboost.com. In this interview, find out how this student Upstander got the idea for We Can Boost - and why uplifting others is important to her. Thank you to Harper and her family for accepting our invite to "table" and be interviewed.

Kindness Ambassador KAT LEE RIVERS (Kathryn Selman) took the stage after, singing original song "You're Not Broken" with a moment of reflection to the children who have died by suicide related to bullying.

Before closing out the ceremony, we heard from ED LOTZ, father of Aurora and husband of Steph. He spoke about his journey with Parkinson's disease, and how he was worried Aurora would be bullied because of it. He shared that people with "a difference" - or with a family member with a difference - are 2 to 3 times more likely to be bullied.

Before the walk, we got the crowd hyped up with a Zumba workout led by STEPH LOTZ. 👏🏽💯

SATELLITE WALKATHON! 🌎

THANK YOU, BRAD LANCASTER & FRIENDS!

Our amazing national Teen Kindness Board Co-Chair, Brad Lancaster, continues to show us what kindness-in-action looks like! Yesterday, Brad rallied his friends for a 3-mile satellite “Walkathon To End Bullying” at Texas Tech University!

“We had a nice walk around the Texas Tech Campus! We walked at our on-campus horticulture garden, and then we went to our recreation so one of my friends could vote!” Brad shared. Sounds like a great day for (TWO) great causes!

Brad gives so generously of his time, leadership and heart to the Be A Friend Project and to kids who need to know they are not alone. Whether he’s bringing friends together, supporting his fellow Teen Kindness Board members, or spreading our mission in his community, Brad leads by example.

Brad, we are so grateful to have you championing kids and helping build a kinder world! You make a difference and inspire us all!

Thank you to our HERO SPONSOR - MATTHEW SHEPARD FOUNDATION, CHAMPION SPONSORS - Barger & Gaines, YoBounce Party Rentals, and Southside Strategy - and all "Walkathon To End Bullying" Sponsors for showing young people (both those facing bullying and those standing up for them) that they are not alone and they matter!