April Reimer, the wife of Toronto Maple Leafs goalie James Reimer, has kick-started a campaign against cyberbullying.
Reimer was cyberbullied in March 2014 when Maple Leafs fans took out their frustrations on Twitter in response to a bad performance by James Reimer against the New Jersey Devils. He let in three goals in 22 minutes and was subsequently pulled. The Leafs would go on to lose the game 3-2.
Since James Reimer didn't have a Twitter account, the target of many Leafs supporters' ire was directed at his wife.
Reimer responded to the fans later that night, when she was met with a great deal of support.
Thankfully the voices of many drown out the voices of a few. Thank you if you wrote me a kind tweet :)
— April Reimer (@april_reimer) March 23, 2014
You are a class act @april_reimer
— Chelsea Scott (@ChelseaLScott) March 25, 2014
"It’s technically something I didn't even do," Reimer told CTV News Channel. "It's showing how Twitter has such a direct access to people."
Reimer said people sometimes say things online and forget that there's a person on the other side of the screen.
Her '#TweetSweet' campaign, which runs until the end of the end of the 2014-2015 NHL season, is aiming to put an end to cyberbullying and to challenge students to spread positive messages through social media. Reimer is encouraging social media users to simply say something positive to somebody or about somebody else using the '#TweetSweet' hashtag.
A pair of Maple Leafs tickets will be randomly awarded twice a month to a poster who uses the hashtag.
The campaign's website claims that "with the rapid increase of technology, cyberbullying has grown into a nationwide issue."
"Twitter by itself is not bad, it's just how you chose to use it," Reimer told CTV. "It can build somebody up or tear somebody down."
Below are some Tweets from the campaign.
Thank you so much for the overwhelming support for #tweetsweet! Keep the #Tweetsweet's coming, 1st game giveaway Jan 19 vs Hurricanes
— April Reimer (@april_reimer) January 10, 2015
Don't put someone down, don't cyber bully, say how can I help you, just say hi or just send a #TweetSweet #sweettweet @tweet__sweet
— Joe Montesano (@JoeMontesano) January 13, 2015
I have some of the most selfless and wonderful friends. I am grateful for all they do for me (which is a LOT). #tweetsweet #solucky
— Gill McCaskill (@gillmccaskill) January 13, 2015