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Earlier this month, we received a letter to the editor from Harriet Clyde Kipps, a Glen Lyon resident whose passion for anti-bullying efforts is evident in her voice.
I’ve spoken with Harriet a half-dozen times over the past two years. Each time, she’s implored us to help get the word out about anti-bullying books she’s written.
Truth be told, we’ve probably given Harriet’s passion projects a disproportionate amount of ink. Our archives show over 65 instances where we’ve featured her or her books, quoted her as an expert source on the topic of bullying in schools, or wrote about her eventually successful efforts to restore Glen Lyon’s community park.
Harriet is equal parts charming and assertive. It’s hard to tell her no.
So when her letter to the editor didn’t meet our standards of publication, the duty fell to me to explain why.
Harriet’s letter started off with a call to action for other Glen Lyon residents. She tugged at her neighbors’ sense of community in asking that they rally behind her latest book, which Harriet views as a crucial component of winning the war against bullying.
“C’mon, Glen Lyoners! Work with me on this!” she wrote. “I will use my ‘author’s privilege’ to use my royalties to get an extra book for every ten books sponsored. This will be above the ones that I can afford to give the schools.”
Her letter then pointed out that one $9.95 donation – which covers the cost of each book’s production – “may be the one that saves a life.”
I’ll admit feeling a sense of relief when I got Harriet’s answering machine. It’s easier to stand firm on principle when a conversation is one-sided.
I was in a meeting when Harriet returned my call. She left me a voicemail reminding me what a good friend I’d been to her over the years and how she always appreciates how the Times Leader has stood beside her as a partner.
As her voicemail continued past the two-minute mark, I realized I had again fallen under Harriet’s spell.
Here’s what you won’t find in our letters to the editor: Harriet needs your help. In the past, she used to solicit donations by going door-to-door. With time, her ability to maintain that pace has diminished, and she’s looking to others to help carry her mantle.
Harriet tells me the $9.95 donation helps to cover the cost of producing and distributing the books to schools across Northeastern Pennsylvania. She notes the age group most prone to suicide is 10 to 13. Her book, she wrote, carries a “message of hope to them.”
She asks that anyone who believes bullying might be stopped with a little education – and some self-published story-telling – send donations to her attention to P.O. Box 111, Glen Lyon, PA 18617. Donors can have their name added to the inside cover should they choose to do so.
Harriet believes our region can – and should – stand at the forefront of anti-bullying efforts.
To quote from Harriet’s letter: “Let’s become the most caring small town in America.”
