In honour of National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21st, the Motorcycle Mondays group is hosting a barbecue and ride to honour regional and local victims of residential schools. Canadian Motorcycle Tourism Association Executive Director Renee Charbonneau says planning started after the remains of 215 children found in an unmarked grave at a former residential school site in Kamloops, B.C.
“This is a time when we should all be able to feel each other’s loss and try and move on together because we’re stronger together.”
The ceremony will take place at the Veterans Memorial Gardens and Interpretive Centre. Orange lilies will be planted by elders. Afterwards ceremony they will drive to Grande Prairie Regional College where 97 pairs of shoes will be placed.
Charbonneau says they represent the 97 children on record from all eight recognized residential schools in northwestern Alberta who never made it home.
“We’ve decided to gather 97 pairs of shoes, and we’re going to have orange ribbons for everyone and special smudge bundles for our elders. We’re really hoping that as we commemorate that garden, it will become a day people find their humanity again.”
Charbonneau hopes the ceremony will open people’s eyes to the pain and suffering of victims of residential schools and will open them up to understanding each other. She adds the hope is that people will know their names.
“If they’re forgotten… it’s just like a soldier who’s killed in action; if nobody ever says that soldier’s name again, then he’s truly forgotten and they die a second time. It’s the same with victims, so we chose to do something about it.”
Charbonneau says Motorcycle Mondays partnered with the Swan City Rotary Club and the Grande Prairie Friendship Centre for the ceremony and motorcycle and vehicle ride. The BBQ will be starting at 5 p.m. on June 21st followed by the ceremony at 6:45 p.m. and the trip to GPRC at 7:15.
Charbonneau says shoe donations can be made on both Wednesday and Thursday at the Veterans Memorial Gardens and Interpretive Centre between 4 p.m and 8 p.m. in preparation for the event.
The Motorcycle Mondays Committee is a fundraising arm of the Canadian Motorcycle Tourism Association that runs a ride, drive, and BBQ every Monday.
The Veterans Memorial Gardens and Interpretive Centre is located at 10121-93 Street Grande Prairie.