Members of Snuneymuxw First Nation are welcoming a donation which will go toward searching the grounds of the old Nanaimo Indian Hospital for unmarked graves.

Organizers of the Find Our Lost Children fundraising effort, which raises money to help First Nations search for the remains of children who died because of residential schools, presented a cheque of $77,250 in GoFundMe-raised money to Snuneymuxw at its band office today, Sept. 15. The money is meant to assist the First Nation with its search of the old hospital site, located near Vancouver Island University.

Earl Manson recounted his experiences at the hospital and said they were traumatic.

B次元官网网址淚 remember running around under the beds, they were so high,B次元官网网址� said Manson. B次元官网网址淎nd getting strapped in my bed and because I was so small I could get away (because) they were chasing me around trying to catch me B次元官网网址� we donB次元官网网址檛 have any records. IB次元官网网址檇 like to know the year and the day I was in there. How many of our members were in there, besides myself and my sisters and my brother? ThatB次元官网网址檚 what IB次元官网网址檇 like to see get done.B次元官网网址�

Snuneymuxw Chief Michael Wyse said the search will be daunting, but the nation has heard from past patients who suggested that the site needs to be examined.

The chief said the money will help in bringing B次元官网网址減rofessional supportB次元官网网址� for ground-penetrating radar examination of the grounds.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been [torn] down for quite some time now and itB次元官网网址檒l allow us to go there and look at the site, bring some professionals in there to oversee and take that approach,B次元官网网址� Wyse said.

He said efforts to obtain hospital records are ongoing in order to assist the First Nation.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e got a location at our cemetery where weB次元官网网址檝e got about 60 unmarked graves that were brought B次元官网网址� back in the time there was no money to bring them back home,B次元官网网址� said Wyse. B次元官网网址淭hey were patients at the hospital that were from the West Coast, up Island, south Island, that died there.B次元官网网址�

Wyse also said no one seems to be taking responsibility for the bodies.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 very frustrating, but that dayB次元官网网址檚 going to come where weB次元官网网址檙e going to be able to sit with them and say, B次元官网网址榊ou know, the wrongs that have been done, itB次元官网网址檚 time to fix them and accept the responsibility,B次元官网网址� said Wyse.

Snuneymuxw is also in discussion with Telus in relation to examination of a site near Fitzwilliam Street in Nanaimo, said Wyse.

For more information on Find Our Lost Children, go to .

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