The Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League are using all their resources in an attempt to curb bullying throughout the community.

The organization has been hosting its Bully Busters Unite program for about a decade at schools in the Lehigh Valley area, which is located about an hour north of Philadelphia in the eastern half of Pennsylvania.

“We feel very passionate about this program,” said Courtney Zubey, the team’s director of integrated marketing and community. “We don’t charge for it. We don’t say no to anyone who submits a request. It’s a huge part of our community outreach and we’re proud to help the community in that regard.”

Bully Busters Unite is the Lehigh Valley Phantoms’ anti-bullying campaign, featuring MeLVin, the team’s mascot. The program introduces elementary-aged students to four helpful tips for dealing with situations involving bullying: talking to a trusted adult, not bullying back, supporting the bully target and sticking with buddies.

“The best place to start is with kids and empowering the younger generations,” Zubey said. “That’s why this program was formulated. We want to make sure that no kids are left behind, forgotten or bullied.”

The inclusion of MeLVin, a giant orange mascot who wears No. 55 and is a puck-nosed pladottle, also makes it fun for kids in attendance.

“Everyone in the Lehigh Valley knows MeLVin our mascot,” Zubey said. “It’s always fun the second he pops out to hear all the screams from the kids. It’s immediate gratification just to see all of their faces light up.”

Zubey added that the organization attempts to refine the program each year and add modern twists, including aspects of cyber bullying.

“As years go by, phones are more and more prominent in everyday life with kids,” Zubey said. “In previous years, we didn’t have much about phones, but now we have a whole segment on cyber bullying and different ways to react and solve problems. We receive a lot of positive feedback on that.”

Zubey recognizes engagement and participation from the kids during the assembly, as it isn’t a program where they only have to sit and listen to a presentation. The program also features songs, dancing and other forms of involvement.

“It always lands really well in their community,” Zubey said. “People really respect what we do at their school and they’re able to give us 30 minutes of their time to spread something that’s super positive. The kids are honestly very into it.”

Some days Zubey said the organization puts the program on at a school with 50 kids, while others are at schools with 600 kids split into multiple assemblies. The program is complimentary to schools located in the Lehigh Valley area based on schedule availability.

“We try to say yes to as many schools as we can,” Zubey said. “There isn’t anyone we say no to.”

The biggest aspect that stands out to Zubey is how many times the organization returns to schools with the same program in future years. There was one school that hosted the program in the fall and asked the organization to return in the spring.

“The one principal told us that she thought the kids needed a refresher,” she said. “Toward the end of the year, the kids were getting antsy and frustrated with each other, but they definitely saw a difference after we came out. We know we’re making a difference.”

The Lehigh Valley area is one of the fastest growing and the third most populous area in the state of Pennsylvania with more than 700,000 residents. The Phantoms’ organization has recognized the dramatic growth throughout the region and responded with the Bully Busters Unite program.

“We feel very passionate about building up the community of people around us,” Zubey said. “We pride ourselves on being family-friendly and affordable and we wanted to give back to those groups that we work with.”

Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc.