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Monday, May 31, 2021

Calgarians encouraged to place teddy bear on front steps to commemorate 215 residential school victims - Calgary Herald

Here are some of the ways Calgary and area are commemorating the residential school victims this week

Author of the article:

Stephanie Babych
Flags outside Calgary City Hall are lowered to half-mast on Monday, May 31, 2021 after the discovery of the remains of 215 children at a former residential school in Kamloops. Some kids' shoes placed during a vigil are seen in the foreground.
Flags outside Calgary City Hall are lowered to half-mast on Monday, May 31, 2021 after the discovery of the remains of 215 children at a former residential school in Kamloops. Some kids' shoes placed during a vigil are seen in the foreground. Photo by Azin Ghaffari/Postmedia

Calgarians are encouraged to mourn the 215 children found buried on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School by placing a teddy bear on their front steps Monday evening, following the announcement last week from Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation about the children.

Here are some of the ways communities in Calgary and area are commemorating the residential school victims this week:

Siksika Health Services, among others, is asking people to place teddy bears and moccasins on their front steps at 6 p.m. Monday to honour the lives lost, “but never forgotten.”

People are also encouraged to leave their porch lights on.

As well, Siksika Health Services will be hosting a private candlelight vigil and prayers of the Elders at the Siksika Health and Wellness Centre tipi on Wednesday. They invite the community to join in the prayers from their homes that day.

“To all of those who have been impacted: we hold you in our hearts,” Siksika Health Services said in a statement Monday.

“Together we are part of a resilient community of Indigenous brothers and sisters that remembers our history and those who have gone before, and we stand with you in claiming that every child matters.”

A candlelight vigil was scheduled for 8 p.m. Monday at City Hall in memory of residential school victims. Organizers asked people to bring children’s shoes to place on the steps and their own candles to light. The flags at City Hall have been lowered to half-mast, as they were at many businesses and all schools Monday.

Calgary Police Service lowered their flags to half-mast saying, “We grieve the 215 children whose lives were lost at the former Kamloops residential school.” They also invited Calgarians to leave their porch lights on and place a teddy bear on their front steps.

The Calgary Tower’s lights went dark over the weekend in recognition of national mourning. ATB Financial lit the McMahon Stadium orange Monday night to mourn the “horrific discovery of the remains of 215 Indigenous children at a residential school” and honour their lives, according to Curtis Stange, president and CEO of ATB Financial.

Hillhurst United Church will toll its bells 215 times at 2:15 p.m. Tuesday in memory of the 215 children. The memorial will be live-streamed on Hillhurst United’s Facebook page.

“Each bell symbolizes a child’s life,” Tony Snow, Indigenous lead at Hillhurst United and Indigenous minister for Calgary-area United Churches, said in a news release.

“As we stop and listen to each bell toll, we remember a child who never returned home.”

Orange ribbons are tied to the steps at the Hillhurst United Church to honour the remains of 215 children discovered at a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C. in Calgary on Monday, May 31, 2021.
Orange ribbons are tied to the steps at the Hillhurst United Church to honour the remains of 215 children discovered at a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C. in Calgary on Monday, May 31, 2021. Photo by Darren Makowichuk/Postmedia

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Calgarians encouraged to place teddy bear on front steps to commemorate 215 residential school victims - Calgary Herald
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