As Canada marks its first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Sept. 30, it is also marking an important milestone for a pair of B.C. women.

Orange Shirt Society founders Phyllis Webstad, a Northern Secw茅pec from the CaribooB次元官网网址檚 StswecemB次元官网网址檆 XgatB次元官网网址檛em First Nation, and Joan Sorley, a former Cariboo Regional District director, have been working to make this moment happen for years.

In April 2013, Webstad told the story which inspired the first Orange Shirt Day later that year. With the encouragement of her friend Joan Sorley, she recalled how her grandmother bought her an orange shiny shirt that was taken away when she arrived for her first day at St. JosephB次元官网网址檚 Mission Residential School near Williams Lake at the age of six.

Fast forward to 2021 and Webstad is busy with speaking engagements.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 in awe,B次元官网网址� she said early Tuesday from Vancouver, where she had been up since 4 a.m. doing media interviews. B次元官网网址淚t has been amazing and all happening so fast. Not that it was not overwhelming in previous years, but this year even more so. Every day is busy and I have more requests coming in than I can handle.B次元官网网址�

When asked what she will be thinking of when she wakes up on Thursday, Sept. 30, she chuckled and replied, B次元官网网址渃offee.B次元官网网址�

Sorley said she is awestruck the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is happening.

B次元官网网址淚 am the political nerd,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 was so star struck to be in the parliament buildings when parliament was in session and when they passed the bill. Who could ever think, this little welfare kid from Mission would one day go to parliament and be influential in making it a statutory holiday.B次元官网网址�

She said itB次元官网网址檚 not just Webstad and herself, but the Orange Shirt Society working as a team.

B次元官网网址淲e are really excited.B次元官网网址�

Last week the book Orange Shirt Day Sept. 30 written by Webstad and Sorley received the Periodical Marketers of Canada Indigenous Literature Award by the First Nations Communities READ after it was chosen by a jury of Indigenous librarians from across Ontario.

The award comes with a $5,000 prize.

Sometimes the truth is brutal and raw, wrote Webstad in the introduction of her latest book, Beyond the Orange Shirt Story.

B次元官网网址淓verything that is written about in this book is still happening today to many,B次元官网网址� she wrote. B次元官网网址淚 continue to pray and hope that we can continue to heal the wounds of the past. ItB次元官网网址檚 hard being immersed in this history on a daily basis and even more so in writing of this book.B次元官网网址�

Earlier in September the book was released. It features a collection of stories from family and friends of Webstad before, during and after their residential school experiences.

On Sept. 30, the Orange Shirt Society will be releasing a special video on the Orange Shirt Society YouTube channel.

In Williams Lake the day will also be marked with a gathering at the former St. JosephB次元官网网址檚 Mission led by the Williams Lake First Nations at 1 p.m. To honour the day, the City of Williams Lake noted facilities and operations will be closed.

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