Orange Shirt Society and Vernon-based Tolko Industries Ltd. (Tolko), together with partner Leading Edge Promo, are pleased to announce this year’s winner of the society’s art contest, sponsored by Tolko, and to introduce the official 2021 Orange Shirt Day design.
Shayne Hommy, a Grade 11 First Nation Cree student at South Peace Secondary School, in Dawson Creek, submitted the winning entry.
“Orange Shirt Day means justice and awareness for Indigenous people,” said Hommy. “My Moosum (grandfather) attended residential school so it means a lot to me that someone I love and care about so much had to experience residential school. My design is three little Indigenous girls from different tribes, holding hands to represent the unity of our people, (Indigenous peoples) resilience and strength throughout the many years of suffering Indigenous peoples had to face.”
Her design was chosen from entries submitted from across Canada.
Hommy received a $200 prize, and will travel with her mother to Mission to meet Phyllis Webstad on Orange Shirt Day 2021 (Sept. 30), providing that travel is deemed safe by then. Webstad is the executive director of the Orange Shirt Society which is based in Williams Lake.
“I am so thankful that Tolko has partnered with us to sponsor our annual T-shirt art contest,” said Webstad.
“The annual art contest provides students across Canada the opportunity to reflect on Orange Shirt Day and reconciliation,” said Brad Thorlakson, president and CEO of Tolko. “I would like to congratulate Shayne on her winning design, demonstrating the unity of Indigenous peoples, especially girls, in the face of adversity.”
To order official Orange Shirt Day shirts and other merchandise through Leading Edge Promo, visit the Shirts and Gifts tab at www.orangeshirtday.org, or Leading Edge’s website at www.orangeshirtday.net.
The Orange Shirt Society is a non-profit organization with its home in Williams Lake, where Orange Shirt Day began in 2013. The purposes of the society are to support Indian Residential School Reconciliation; to create awareness of the individual, family, and community inter-generational impacts of Indian Residential Schools through Orange Shirt Society activities; and to create awareness of the concept of “Every Child Matters.”
