ALLENTOWN: SUN Spots appear throughout Allentown

By Rachel Lavery, Special Writer
   ALLENTOWN — Driving or strolling through Allentown, the sun can be seen shining brightly from the windows of many area businesses.
   Small stickers, or SUN Spots, indicate to students in the Upper Freehold Regional school district that the businesses sporting the stickers are SUN S.P.O.T.S (Safe Places Other Than School). This initiative is one of many that make up the school district’s Stand UNited Against Bullying program.
   As a part of the SUN program, the school district’s Anti-Bullying Coalition has solicited business owners “to become partners with the school community in providing support for our children if they are in a situation where they do not feel safe,” said Patty Hogan, school board vice president and the Anti-Bullying Coalition’s liaison to local businesses.
   The businesses display the SUN logo sticker in the front of their business. The logo, familiar to the students as it is prominently displayed throughout the school district in many forms, indicates to children they can go to that business to call a parent, guardian or other caregiver in a safe environment, according to Ms. Hogan.
   The program has evolved since its inception four years ago. Previously, businesses have signed partnership agreements, saying they will provide a safe place and a telephone, but will not get involved in conflict resolution.
   In the program’s first year, the coalition had a booth at the Harvest Festival with detailed information. Currently, the ABC displays a list of partner businesses at all SUN events and on the district website.
   Partner businesses have been asked to contribute financially as well and have responded generously with gift certificates and monetary donations. These donations have been used to fund SUN T-shirts, bracelets and a new addition, SUN tattoos.
   ”It is through the generosity of our members, partner businesses, parents and community that we have been able to positively impact our school culture with regard to this issue,” Ms. Hogan said.
   The initiative is important to the business owners as well. As the owner of Chocolate N Dreams, a candy store on Main Street, Debra Hammond-Ocasio sees many of the school district’s students in her store and walking past on a daily basis. She noted kids see many places around, but are taught from an early age to be wary of strangers.
   As a kid, “How do you know it’s safe?” she said.
   She finds the SUN S.P.O.T.S program to be valuable because it identifies safe spaces for kids.
   Ms. Hammond-Ocasio has seen the effects of bullying first-hand in the lives of a young family member in another state and was happy to be a part of the program here in Allentown.
   Another one of the SUN S.P.O.T.S, the Allentown Public Library, will be hosting a showcase of anti-bullying materials on loan from the Stone Bridge Middle School’s collection from Feb. 3-17. The collection at the middle school, including more than 30 books and DVDs, was started to provide support for parents in their efforts to combat bullying and funded by a grant provided by the Upper Freehold Regional Education Foundation.
   With the loaning of materials to the public library, the ABC seeks to raise awareness of the availability of these resources for parents.
   ”We pride ourselves in the comprehensive and systematic approach we take to reduce bullying behaviors,” said Mark Guterl, Stone Bridge Middle School principal and the district’s anti-bullying coordinator. “The lending of our collection and the SUN S.P.O.T.S. are two ways that we are giving and getting support from the community. We are grateful to the SUN S.P.O.T.S. for their willingness to be a safe haven for kids if they are being bullied outside of school.”
   Local businesses that are SUN S.P.O.T.S are Allentown Dental, Allentown post office, Allentown Public Library, Allentown Wines and Liquors, The Alps Bistro, Bloomers & Things, Crossroads, Cayman Pools and Spas, Chocolate N Dreams, Create Yourself Salon, Cynthia’s Signature Salon, Joe’s Allentown Barbershop, Pasquale’s Pizza and Subs, Kudrick Chiropractic, Globus Pharmacy, Swal Dairy, Necessities Salon and Spa, Pete’s Deli, Pet Life of Allentown, The What Not Shop, Via Roma II, Village Pharmacy, DiMattia’s Restaurant, Woody’s Towne Café and The Pork Roll Store.