Francois Lake Elementary School has installed what is being called a Buddy Bench.
Organizer Beckie Watts, approached Tahtsa Timber with the idea to do a buddy bench at the school as watts has worked with the company in the past.
The company supplied the materials and for Woodworking teacher at Lakes District Secondary School Dirk Hofer.
According to Watts, this is not the first Buddy Bench.
The idea of the bench originally came from Owner of Tahtsa Timber Angelika Posselt who approached Decker Lake Elementary School about the idea.
The school then said yes and organized materials and the construction from there.
Watts explains what a Buddy Bench is.
“If a student is feeling all alone, and does not have anyone to play with, they will go sit on the Buddy Bench and that’s sort of a signal to anybody else at the school that that person needs a buddy,” she said.
Watts added that the installation of the bench was delayed because of class schedules and the COVID-19 pandemic.
She also said that the bench is a good thing for the school community.
“This is so no one feels excluded or left out and where they [students] don’t have to get rejected, it’s not like they’re having to ask to play, people are offering,” Watts said.
She added that students are excited about the bench.