Orange Shirt Day 2019
East York Community Marks Orange Shirt Day by Supporting Anishnawbe Health for the Second Year
East York community hub, Old’s Cool General Store, marked Orange Shirt Day with a commemorative event on Sept. 30 to honour residential school survivors and remember the children whose lives were lost.
The event was also a culmination of fundraising organized by Old’s Cool in which t-shirts designed by Ojibwe artist Kindhearted Woman were sold and $5 from each shirt was given to Anishnawbe Health. 570 shirts were sold and $2850 raised.
Two Spirit Elder Blue Waters started the event with a prayer and smudging ceremony. She spoke about the way toward reconciliation and ended with drumming the Strong Woman Song. Beaches-East York Coun. Brad Bradford, read the proclamation signed by Mayor John Tory, declaring Sept. 30 “Orange Shirt Day” in the City of Toronto.
When asked why the store holds the event, Zahra Dhanani, co-founder of Old’s Cool General Store, said, “As Canadian people, the most important work we can do are the actions required for reconciliation with the Indigenous people of this land. Understanding the truth of residential schools is an important part of the actions we must take.”
If you are interested in organizing your own event for Anishnawbe Health, find out more here.