Welcome to Colleen’s Corner. This is a column meant for fun and some information About myself: I am a Freelance Photographer you often see me on the side of the road or in various places taking photos of different things animals, birds, places, people etc. l have lived in Lumby just over 8 years you have seen my photos in the newspaper (Lumby Valley Times) and once in awhile in the Vernon Morning Star, and the Lumby Art Gallery. Photography is my passion. Disclaimer: The information on some of my photos that I write about a lot of times come from the Internet or books I research them, hopefully the facts are as close to the truth as I can come.
September 30th, a day that honours the children who never returned home and survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. This important day is National Day of Truth and Reconciliation in Canada. There were 140 federally ran residential schools between 1867–1996. The schools were run by government and religious organizations, with children between the ages of 4–16 attending.
Studies have shown that the mortality rate in the residential schools were between 40–60 %. Many children did not get to return home, and most of those that did survive suffered from physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.
May 27th 2021, shone a bright light on the matter of residential schools, when the remains of 215 children were discovered in unmarked graves at the site of a residential school near Kamloops. Many more unmarked graves have been discovered all across Canada at former sites of residential schools.
Orange Shirt Day is also recognized on September 30th. The orange shirt is recognized as a symbol in which the Indigenous children over many years have experienced the stripping away of their culture, freedom, and self-esteem.
On this day, let us remember all those who were lost, survived, and the long- standing effects on generations of First Nations, Metis, and Inuit.
A variety of resources are available through the Aboriginal Child and Family Services Office in Vernon at 250-549-5533.
