Friendship benches popping up around Bismarck

Mark Braun with Advantage Appliance in Bismarck is doing his best to promote friendship among kids in the state.

It's no secret friendship plays an important role in the lives of young children. And now kids have reminders around town of what it means to be a good friend.

"Standing up for your friend if they get bullied," said Hudsen Bullinger, a Bismarck local attending summer camp at the Heritage Center.

A positive reminder comes in the form of benches placed around town: friendship benches.

It all started when Braun heard a young girl, Acacia Woodley, speak of how she was bullied. Braun says Woodley had an unusual outlook on the issue.

"The bullies themselves probably have been bullied or need a friend. That they have a problem, and they have nobody to talk to. And, for the very first time, she had gotten bullied in a new school," Braun says.

He says he was touched and decided to help spread her idea of friendship benches around the area.

"When a child is having a problem, whether it be a math problem in school, or, you know, no matter what it is, they just go over and sit on the bench. And anyone else sees them sitting there, just goes over and sits with them," Braun said.

Braun says Woodley might have been a tiny girl but she had dreams bigger than this bench. And, now, they've come true.

"When I met her, she had 50 benches throughout the United States and Canada. I'm happy to say that right now she has over 62 benches that have been purchased throughout Bismarck, N.D." Braun said.

To spread the word of Woodley's positive product, Braun bought benches to give to local schools. There are now roughly 850 friendship benches throughout the US, Canada, Sweden, and China, and one of them sits just in front of Braun's store.

As of now, every elementary school in Bismarck boasts one of Woodley's friendship benches.