Indigenous partnership launches Orange Shirt Cookie Day this weekend

A new local campaign to raise awareness of residential school survivors and their families began this weekend.

Orange Shirt Cookie Day officially launched at Caffeine & Co. in Amherstburg Saturday.

Through a partnership between Ska:na Family Learning Centre and Caffeine & Co., Orange Shirt Cookie Day is a way to raise awareness around truth and reconciliation with Indigenous people.

"We're hoping to have people purchase orange shirt cookies until all of our children are recovered and brought home," said Faith Hale, executive director of Ska:na Family Learning Centre.

Families and children were invited to purchase and decorate their own orange shirt cookies beginning 10 a.m. Saturday.

The full day event included dancing, drumming as well as an appearance from artist and storyteller, Moses Lunham.

Children will have the opportunity to paint a cookie with Lunham.

Orange Shirt Cookie Day comes 10 days prior to Canada's Orange Shirt Day on September 30, which has been made a day of recognition of the harm the residential school system caused children and families. It is also a day to commit to ensuring that every child matters.

"This is happening. What we do know, it's changing the history of Canada," Hale said.

"It is truth. The more truth we have, the better off we are in the way we work together."

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