Rotary Club of Scotts Valley will give the Paul Harris Award (Founder of the Rotary Club) to Anti-Bullying champion and SF Giants fan, Bryan Stow, on Saturday, May 21 at 8 p.m. ReGeneration Church/Calvary Chapel 1500 Green Hills road in Scotts Valley.
Since 1975, the Rotary Club of Scotts Valley has had a huge impact on raising money for non-profits as well as donating thousands of hours to support our community. From rebuilding the bathrooms at Scotts Valley Middle School to wiping out Polio around the world, Rotary International is dedicated to making the world a better place. It is our honor to recognize Bryan Stow and his foundation for his anti-bullying message with a Paul Harris award. The award will be presented to Bryan at the James Garner tribute to Johnny Cash benefit concert on Saturday, May 21.
The Bryan Stow Foundation was founded out of survival, hope, courage, and triumph over tragedy. About five years ago, a senseless, brutal attack following a baseball game nearly took his life. Bryan Stow is now on a mission to help communities put an end to bullying and fan violence. Bryan will never fully recover from his injuries; however, with the help of his family and friends, he is able to present his story and guide this country’s youth to live bully-free lives as well as empower them to stand up and change a rapidly growing problem within our society.
While Bryan was an inpatient at Good Samaritan Hospital’s Acute Rehab Program in Los Gatos, CA, he met Brandy Dickinson, a Speech Language Pathologist who took him on community outings to a local after-school care program to practice using his newly learned cognitive linguistic and mobility skills. During his presentations, Bryan had to be prepared to answer the question, “What happened to you?” using an appropriate response to an audience of children. Together with Brandy, they decided upon “I got hurt by adult bullies” which led Bryan to use his story to bring awareness of what happens when bullying behavior continues into adulthood.
Bryan Stow is now on a mission to teach kids everywhere how to live kinder lives as well as help empower a change in attitude for kids with bullying tendencies. With help from his family and friends, Bryan Stow has started this foundation and plans to reach out to as many schools and organizations as possible with his anti-bullying and stopping fan violence presentations using his own personal story to stop bullying behavior before it reaches adulthood.
James Garner tribute to Johnny Cash benefit concert on Saturday, May 21. Come out to support the great work this local man is doing.
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Tickets: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2494111