Schools, churches and individuals around Chilliwack have been filling the city with orange ribbons and hearts in honour of the Indigenous children who died at residential schools across Canada.

The tributes come following last week’s news of the 215 children who were buried in unmarked graves at a Kamloops residential school.

Chilliwack middle school tied ribbons to its chainlink fence on Yale Road spelling out “Every child matters,” while Cheam elementary placed 215 orange paper hearts on its mural of a thunderbird at the front of the school.

The students at Cheam elementary made 215 orange paper hearts which were then put on the school’s mural of a thunderbird by Indigenous Chilliwack artist Carrielynn Victor. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)

Highroad Academy affixed orange ribbons in the shape of a heart to its fence on Chilliwack Central Road, and at the corner of Bluejay Avenue and Meadowlark Street in Sardis, resealable bags taped to a pole were filled with orange heart-shaped decals for folks to take and place in their windows.

A heart of ribbons is seen on the fence of Highroad Academy along Chilliwack Central Road on Friday, June 4, 2021. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)

People are invited to take a heart to put in their window from these bags filled with decals and cut-outs at the corner of Bluejay Avenue and Meadowlark Street in Sardis. (Eva Goldthorp/ Facebook)

On Friday (June 4), members of Carman United Church strung a line of ribbons around its bell tower and also added a message to its sign board reading “Every child matters. We strive to live the apology.”

Daisy Ann Simpson and Rev. Kirstin Autio affix a string of orange ribbons to the church bell tower at Carman United Church on Vedder Road in Sardis on Friday, June 4, 2021. (Chris Gadsden)

From left, Carman United Church members Geoff Walker, Marge Thornton and Rev. Kirstin Autio help put up this message outside the church on Vedder Road in Sardis on Friday, June 4, 2021. (Chris Gadsden)

The National Indian Residential School Crisis Line is available 24 hours a day at 1-866-925-4419.