Bucketman Makes Motivational Stop at Emmons Lake

From The Advance Newspapers
Grand Rapids, MI – August 20, 2007

By HERB WOERPEL

Emmons Lake Elementary is now a certified member of the Bucketfillers club. As a result, administrators hope to see a safer, friendlier, more positive school.
“The Bucketman,” Merrill Lundgren, and the Bucketfillers For Life Inc. group presented motivational, anti-bullying assemblies for the students at Emmons Lake last week.
The Bucketman told students that those who make positive choices in life are rewarded with a full bucket and an elevated sense of self-esteem. He said that a positive compliment or random act of kindness toward others will “fill that person’s bucket,” as well as their own.
“The program teaches people how to think positively and how the nice things they do make people feel better. When you are happy, your bucket is full, when you are sad, your bucket is empty,” said Merrill’s son Peter Lundgren, President of Bucketfillers for Life Inc. “It shows the rewards of being a better person, and you can fill other people’s buckets while filling yours. This is a simple, yet powerful anti bullying program that students can use at school, home or really anywhere.”

Merrill’s daughter Stacey Lundgren told the students that people are either classified as bucket fillers or bucket dippers. Bucket fillers help others, say I’m sorry, give hugs and in general, do the right thing. Bucket dippers, on the other hand, are those who hurt others or demonstrate reckless behavior.

“It is up to you whether your bucket is half full, completely full or empty. It is all based on your own choices,” she said. “By sharing compliments or giving hugs, you are not only filling your bucket, but those around you as well. From the time you wake up until the time you go to bed, everything you do is a choice.”

Due to the new trimester schedule, Emmons Lake Elementary adopted an alternative schedule and celebrated its first day of school on Tuesday, Aug. 7. The first trimester will finish on Friday, Nov. 9.

Principal Gordie Nickels and second-grade teacher Kelly Mulry welcomed the Bucketfillers in on the student’s first full day of class. He said that anything that can be done to improve positive communication between students, their classmates and their families is a step in the right direction.

“We usually don’t have assemblies this quick, and we haven’t had a chance to teach manners and discipline to our kindergartners, but they did fine,” Nickels said. “The kids understand that they are connected to the larger community as a whole. They understand what is right and wrong and as a result feel respected and a part of the rest of us.”

After vowing to be better students through positive actions and random acts of kindness, Emmons Lake administrators received a plaque, recognizing the building as a Bucketfiller school for life.

“Being a Bucketfiller school means the students have to hold up their end of the bargain. They need to remember what they should do and what they shouldn’t be doing in all instances,” said the Bucketman. “When you are a Bucketfiller, you are a Bucketfiller for life. Through random acts of kindness, the students must uphold the manners of a Bucketfiller.”

Bucketfillers for Life Inc. was created by Merrill in 1979. He has been giving lessons on the bucket philosophy to adults for 28 years and to children for approximately four years. The group has visited more than 100 schools and spoke in front of more than 35,000 students. More information is available on their Web site, www.bucketfillersforlife.com.