buddy bench steve show A Buddy Bench from The Park and Facilities Catalog was recently featured on the national "Steve" show on NBC. Host Steve Harvey discussed the concept behind the bench and how it helps children socialize in a schoolyard

A Buddy Bench donated to a school by The Park and Facilities Catalog was recently featured on the nationally televised "Steve" show starring popular comedian Steve Harvey.

The show centered on a young man named Alex, who was recently the subject of an article on our website.

Producers at the "Steve" show heard about the story and contacted Alex and his mother Dottie.

The episode mentioning Alex and the Buddy Bench aired Sept. 14 on NBC in the "Before We Go" segment, the final part of the show.

Mr. Harvey recounted the story about how one day when Alex was 10 years old he "noticed a couple of kids including himself were sitting by themselves at recess" at Windy Creek Elementary School in Stafford, VA.

"So he decided to do something about it," the host explained.

Buddy Bench encourages students to socialize with children who feel lonely

Mr. Harvey said that Alex, with the encouragement of his parents, contacted administrators at the school and asked if they could install a "Buddy Bench."

The concept behind the bench is to provide a place where students can go if they feel lonely…or bullied.

"Kids were told if they see anybody on the Buddy Bench you should go over and make them feel included," Mr. Harvey explained.

On the stage, a large screen appeared in the background behind the host.

The first image to appear on the screen was a photograph of Alex sitting on the Buddy Bench (supplied by The Park and Facilities Catalog).

The next picture showed two students sitting on the bench, as the host explained the concept to the audience.

In the last photo, the bench was filled with nearly a dozen smiling students.

The crowd loved it and produced several "Aws."

They then burst into a round of applause.

Mr. Harvey added, "It's kids like Alex who are making the world a better place. Keep doing what you are doing Alex. I thought it was a great idea."

Then the talk show host finished with a statement that summed up the power of this simple piece of outdoor furnishing: "We ought to have a lot more Buddy Benches around the world."

That was followed by a big round of applause.

"We were very proud to be a part of this project with Alex," said Jessica Kyriakos, Vice President and General Manager of The Park and Facilities Catalog. "The fact that this bench attracted the attention of a national talk show indicates the true power of how the Buddy Bench can help young people make friends and feel safe."

Park Catalog is a leading distributor of Buddy Benches nationwide

buddy bench Buddy Benc

Based in Boca Raton, Fla., The Park and Facilities Catalog has sold hundreds of "Buddy Benches" to schools around the country.

Carrie Georgopoulos, Senior Relationship Manager, worked with Alex and his mother to make their project a reality.

"We are receiving quite a bit of interest from schools around the country about adding Buddy Benches," she said. "Word is starting to spread and more and more teachers and parents want to add these special benches to their playgrounds. They like the idea and can see how it will help students socialize with each other."

The benches can be made from different types of material such as steel or wood.

One of the most popular selections is a metal bench with the letters "Buddy Bench" laser-cut into the backrest. These metal benches are perfect for schools because they are covered with a thick thermoplastic coating that is easy to clean and repels spray paint or graffiti.

"We were very excited to see my son featured on the Steve show and we are grateful to Carrie and The Park and Facilities Catalog for working with us on this project," said Alex's mother Dottie.

Dottie has created a charity called "Brighter Tomorrows" to help other schools acquire a Buddy Bench and share the merits of this idea with more children. The website's Buddy Bench page is https://www.4rchildren.org/alex-buddy-bench.

This effective method to help children make friends continues to catch on. Why not? The program is not very expensive, easy to implement and is very successful in helping children get along with one another. A program such as this might be in need more than ever due to the concerns nationwide about bullying and despondent students.

Teachers support it as well. Dottie said the teachers at Windy Creek Elementary were enthusiastic about the bench and instructed their students on how to participate.

But there are still plenty of schools that don't have a Buddy Bench. Adding a Buddy Bench would be a great project for local civic organizations such as the Rotary Club or Boy Scouts.

As Steve Harvey indicated, it's very true: our planet would be a much better place if there were more Buddy Benches around.

Note: The Buddy Bench idea is catching on with the media. The Park and Facilities Catalog "Buddy Benches" were featured recently in an article in the Sun-Sentinel, one of Florida's largest and most prestigious newspapers. The company's Buddy Benches were also reported on in this segment on WPEC CBS TV in South Florida.

buddy bench The Park and Facilities Catalog Buddy Bench was also featured in the Sun-Sentinel - one of Florida's largest newspapers