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Join our communities for Orange Shirt Day: Every Child Matters

Community Members Invited to Attend:

September 30 is Orange Shirt Day where First Nations, local governments, schools and communities come together in the spirit of reconciliation and hope for generations of children to come.

All Weeneebayko Area Health Authority (WAHA) staff and physicians are encouraged to wear orange shirts on Sunday and Monday and participate in local community events in support of Orange Shirt Day.

Some communities are hosting events on Monday, October 1 because September 30 falls on a Sunday this year.

Fort Albany: Today at 1 pm students from Peetabeck Academy School will walk around the entire community and then return to the school to hear from guest speakers. A snack will be provided.

Moose Factory: On Monday community members and WAHA staff and physicians can meet at the Moose Factory Ministik School grounds before 10:30 a.m. (walk starts at 10:30 am) to walk with students to Museum Road and then back to the school and/or WAHA staff and physicians can walk from Moose Factory Ministik School to the Community Hall where refreshments will be served.

Orange Shirt Day grew out of Phyllis’ story<http://www.orangeshirtday.org/phyllis-story.html> of having her shiny new orange shirt taken away on her first day of school at the St. Joseph Mission residential school. Orange Shirt Day has become an opportunity to keep the discussion and learning on all aspects of residential schools happening annually.

The date, September 30, was chosen because it was during this time of year in which children were taken from their homes to residential schools, and because it is an opportunity to set the stage for anti-racism and anti-bullying policies for the coming school year. It also gives teachers time to plan events that will include children, as we want to ensure that we are passing the story and learning on to the next generations.

For more information visit: http://www.orangeshirtday.org/