Orange Shirt Day -- Sept 30th

Courtesy of the City of Williams Lake:

The community is invited to affirm its commitment to ensure everyone matters by participating in Orange Shirt Day, proclaimed in Williams Lake and the Cariboo for Sept. 30.

Everyone is encouraged to wear an orange shirt on this day, and to wear an “Every Child Matters” button. A ceremony at 10 a.m. in Boitanio Park will feature the story behind the orange shirt, Assembly of First nations Chief Shawn Atleo, Juno Award-winning blues musician Murray Porter, and a children’s presentation. In addition, resources available in the community to help children will be highlighted.

At the launch of the St. Joseph’s Mission Residential School Commemoration and Reconciliation project on April 24, Phyllis Webstad, who is a survivor of the school, shared a very personal story about her first experience going to the school: “I went to the Mission for one year, I had just turned 6 years old. We never had very much money, and there was no welfare, but somehow my granny managed to buy me a new outfit to go to the Mission school in. I remember going to Robinson’s store and picking out a shiny orange shirt. It had eyelets and lace, and I felt so pretty in that shirt and excited to be going to school! Of course, when I got to the Mission, they stripped me, and took away my clothes, including the orange shirt! I never saw it again, except maybe on other kids. I didn’t understand why they wouldn’t give it back to me, it was mine! The colour orange has always reminded me of how my feelings didn’t matter, how no one cared and how I felt like I was worth nothing.”

This was the experience of many, if not all First Nations children for over a hundred years as they attended the school for the first time. Orange Shirt Day has been proclaimed in recognition of the harm the residential school system did to children’s self worth, sense of self-esteem and wellbeing, and as an affirmation of our commitment to ensure that everyone around us matters.

“The Commemoration and Reconciliation project was a great beginning, but we want to carry the healing and positive relationship building forward,” says Williams Lake Mayor Kerry Cook. ‘Orange Shirt Day is a good opportunity for all of us in the community to carry on the momentum from the St. Joseph’s Mission events this spring.”

The City of Williams Lake proclaimed Orange Shirt Day in May, was a leading partner in the Residential School Commemoration and Reconciliation project, and continues to support ongoing reconciliation efforts, including Orange Shirt Day.

Buttons are available from local businesses, or can be obtained from Phyllis Webstad at 250-989-2222 or Joan Sorley at 250-243-2261.