Local students can help honour the victims of Canada’s residential school system and commemorate the experiences of the survivors.
The Anglophone South School District has encouraged schools to invite students and staff to wear an orange shirt one day this week.
It is meant to be a display of awareness of the residential school history and support for healing.
Orange Shirt Day falls annually on Sept. 30 to commemorate Phyllis Webstad, who wore an orange shirt her grandmother bought for her first day at St. Joseph’s Mission Residential School in Williams Lake, B.C.
The shirt was taken from her and never returned.
A national Indian Residential School Crisis Line has been set up to provide support for former residential school students.
The toll-free line can be accessed 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling 1-866-925-4419.
