Buddies Not Bullies event in Rigby to host Diesel Brothers, car show and more
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RIGBY– It started with a Facebook post from a pleading father. Dan Bezzant’s son Jackson Bezzant was being relentlessly bullied by peers because of facial deformities caused by Treacher Collins Syndrome.
Bezzant’s post on Facebook ignited as he urged parents to teach their kids about special needs and human kindness. This viral post inspired the first #buddiesnotbullies event in east Idaho where the community came together at a car show. The proceeds sent Jackson and his family to Disney Land, a trip that his parents say “changed his life.”
This year organizers want to host the event once more, but instead of focusing on a specific family, they’ll be focusing on bullying awareness.
Trevor Blackburn who’s heading the event, says this year’s car show has over 200 cars, up from 144 last year, when 5,000 attended the event. This year Blackburn says celebrity guests like Diesel Dave, the Muscle, Joel/Overkill and Hans from the hit Discovery show Diesel Brothers will be making an appearance.
“They just decided that they liked the message that we’re spreading and wanted to come up and help out,” Blackburn says.
Blackburn thinks children aren’t inherently mean but he believes in spreading the positivity in #buddiesnotbullies to encourage kids to treat others with love and respect.
“Bullying’s not cool, we don’t like it. My son’s been bullied at school. I know a lot of people close to me that have had kids bullied. It’s just something that needs to stop,” Blackburn says.
This year the event will be held at Jefferson County Lake near Rigby. Wristbands will be handed out with #buddiesnotbullies as the text for the design.
“Anything extra that we get from this event is all going to wristbands (and) we’re going to take them around to all the local schools,” Blackburn says.
The event will go from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29. It costs $5 per person or $10 for a family. People can register any truck, car, buggy, motorcycle, and side-by-side for $25 prior to the event.
Families will have free access to bounce houses, face painters, a playground and other activities. There will also be food vendors a live DJ, and two bands playing at the event — Severed Ties, and Bradford Hunstman and his bluegrass band.
Organizers welcome any donations to the cause and for the event’s raffle.
For more information go to the events Facebook page.
