Photo Credit: Orange Shirt Day Grande Prairie

By Liam Verster

Candlelight vigil, wearing orange to school planned to honour victims of residential schools

May 31, 2021 | 7:45 AM

The Grande Prairie Friendship Centre is honouring the children who died attending Canada’s Residential Schools with a candle light vigil tonight.

The vigil will open with prayers outside City Hall at 8 p.m.

The Friendship Centre is also accepting donations of new or used children’s shoes to honour the 215 children found in an unmarked mass grave last week at the Kamloops Indian Residential School, as well as the countless others who lost their lives in residential schools across Canada.

Donations can be dropped off at the GPFC for the Babies Best Start program between 8;30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., and all donations will then be sent to local organizations.

Meanwhile, The Grande Prairie Public, Catholic and Peace Wapiti school divisions are asking students to wear orange today to honour residential school survivors

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A 24 hour help line has also been set up for Indian Residential School Survivors and family members who are experiencing distress. The Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line can be called at 1-866-925-4419.