Calling it a small step forward in our journey of reconciliation, St. Thomas is set to host a noon-hour ceremony this Saturday at city hall.
It’s in recognition of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day, giving local residents a space to reflect on the tragic and painful history, as well as the ongoing impacts of residential schools.
Alongside other community partners, a land acknowledgment, flag raising, and proclamation reading will take place. Painted rocks will also be available for the community to place around the outside of City Hall, with all residents welcome and encouraged to attend.
The City also encourages those in attendance to join in the wearing orange, to honour Indigenous families, children, and survivors who continue to be affected by the residential school legacy.
The St. Thomas Public Library will once again be inviting the community to tie fresh ribbons along the fence in front of the library to mark the occasion.
They note “As we recognize that children are still being discovered, this year, the Library have respectfully removed previous year’s ribbons, preserving them safely within the library, and
will invite the community to tie new ones. The Library webpage has been updated with various educational resources – both booklists from the library as well as websites, events, podcasts, and online resources that residents are welcome to explore.”
Residents can get also involved online by writing a message of reconciliation on social media using #EveryChildMattersStT
myFM will be on hand for the ceremony, with a full story to follow.
Written by: K. Freeman
