Community events mark National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard

NORTH DURHAM/KAWARTHA LAKES: As Monday, September 30th approaches, communities across Canada are coming together to observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day. This solemn day honours the survivors and victims of Canada’s residential school system, offering an opportunity for reflection, education, and reconciliation.

Many communities are hosting Indigenous-led ceremonies, which include traditional songs, drumming, and prayer. In Brock Township, a flag-raising ceremony at Town Hall in Cannington is planned for Friday, September 27th, at 8:30 a.m.

“Our plan is to raise a flag [to] honour National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day, which will then be lowered and remain in place for the next week,” explained Tamra Kaiser, communications coordinator for the township. “The community is more than welcome to attend this event.”

The City of Kawartha Lakes will also be hosting a flag raising ceremony at City Hill on Friday, September 27th, starting at 11 a.m.

There are also numerous events taking place at the various branches of the Kawartha Lakes Public Library, starting with a children’s craft event at the Lindsay branch on Saturday, September 28th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This beaded bracelet workshop is free to attend and will also be offered on Monday, September 30th, at the Bobcaygeon, Dalton, Fenelon Falls, Little Britain, Lindsay, Norland and Woodville branches during their respective open hours on Monday, September 30th.

Library patrons are invited to visit their local library branch on Saturday, September 28th between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to participate in an Orange Shirt Day magnet making workshop. This free workshop will also be offered at the Bobcaygeon, Dalton, Fenelon Falls, Little Britain, Lindsay, Norland and Woodville branches during their respective open hours on Monday, September 30th.

Join library staff Monday, September 30th, from 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Lindsay branch for a Children’s Talking Circle for Truth and Reconciliation. for an Indigenous-guided event which will allow children to honour the victims of Residential Schools appropriately. Please meet in Queen’s Park, in front of the Lindsay branch at 190 Kent Street West. This presentation will be geared toward school-aged children accompanied by a parent, guardian or caregiver. If the weather is inclement, please join us inside the library for this event. An adult Talking Circle will follow on Monday from 6 to 6:30 p.m. at the Lindsay branch. Please meet in Queen’s Park in front of Lindsay branch 190 Kent Street West. If the weather is inclement, please join us inside the library for this event.

Additionally, to mark National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day on Monday, September 30th, in Bocaygeon, the Truth and Reconciliation Community Bobcaygeon and the Mishkodeh Centre for Indigenous Knowledge invite you and your family and friends to a remembrance ceremony at the Boyd Museum in Bobcaygeon starting at 5 p.m., followed by a walk to the new Bobcaygeon Beach Park Friendship Garden known as Gdinuhwendimin (“We are related”). After a brief ceremony at the Boyd Museum, participants will be carrying the memorial orange stones representing children who never returned home from residential schools to Gdinuhwendimin Garden at Bobcaygeon Beach Park.

The Orange Shirt Day movement, symbolized by the phrase “Every Child Matters,” continues to be central to this day of reflection. Participants are encouraged to wear orange shirts to show their support for survivors and commit to ongoing learning and reconciliation. Schools across the area will take part in activities, including art projects, history lessons, and book readings that focus on the legacy of residential schools.

For those unable to attend in person, many events will also be available online. The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation is hosting a virtual event featuring survivor stories, educational sessions, and interactive panels. This digital option allows for widespread participation from across Canada and beyond.

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Monday, September 30th, serves as a vital reminder of Canada’s past and the work which still needs to be done to heal from the legacy of residential schools. Whether through marches, storytelling, art, or education, these community events create space for reflection, learning, and ultimately, reconciliation.