It’s cliche, but true: It takes a village to raise a child.

Each and every one of us should consider ourselves responsible for the well-being of the youth in our community, whether we interact with them directly as parents, coaches, teachers, mentors, employers or neighbors, or simply provide lessons passively by living as good examples.

A group of adults in Rogers City is certainly setting a good example by forming a new club to give kids a safe place to talk.

“We’re looking at getting a group of kids together once a week and basically allowing them the opportunity to talk, vent, share their feelings,” Lisa Noffze told reporter Julie Goldberg for a Tuesday story on the new Presque Isle Allies Club. “We’re trying to stay away from the word ‘bullying’ because it applies a lot of different areas, but it is kind of an anti-bullying-type of thing to empower these kids to be able to stand up for themselves and to have a safe place to come to.”

The club was formed after more than a dozen parents approached the Rogers City school board last month to demand action on what they said is widespread bullying in the school district.

To the organizers of the new Allies Club, we say thank you. You are showing the youth of Northeast Michigan that adults care about them, and sometimes that can make all the difference in the world.

(THE ALPENA NEWS)