Williams Lake marked Orange Shirt Day Wednesday in Boitanio Park with hundreds of students and staff members from local schools.
It was great to witness a sea of orange T-shirts set against the autumn colour of the park’s trees.
Officially Orange Shirt Day is set for Sept. 30, but as it falls on a Sunday this year, Williams Lake chose to honour the day earlier because of professional development days scheduled for Thursday and Friday.
Orange Shirt Day originated right here in Williams Lake.
Phyllis Webstad was part of the planning committee for the St. Joseph Mission Residential School commemoration event held in Williams Lake in the spring of 2013.
She first told the story at a planning session, sharing how the brand new shiny orange shirt her grandmother had bought for her was taken away on her first day attending the school.
Read more: Teachers study residential school impacts
Webstad is one of hundreds of residential school survivors living in the Cariboo Chilcotin.
She and many of them continue to share their stories — she even has a book out now — providing local students and the community at large with an education on an aspect of our Canadian history that was very negative and has had lasting effects.
School District 27 has been a leader in promoting the learning of the residential school legacy in our schools and ensuring that Orange Shirt Day and its message of Every Child Matters is recognized fully.
It is incredible for Williams Lake to be on the cutting edge in moving toward full reconciliation with our Indigenous people.
Read more: Williams Lake activist and author on book tour
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