Orange Shirt Society and Tolko Industries Ltd. (Tolko), together with our 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. She said, “Orange Shirt Day means justice and awareness for Indigenous people. 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. Shayne received a $200 prize, and will travel to Mission, BC, to meet Phyllis Webstad on Orange Shirt Day 2021, providing that travel is deemed safe by then. Phyllis said, “I am so thankful that Tolko has partnered with us to sponsor our annual t-shirt art contest. Because of their sponsorship, Shayne and her mother will come from their home in Dawson Creek and spend the day with me in Mission on September 30, Orange Shirt Day.”
“The annual art contest provides students across Canada the opportunity to reflect on Orange Shirt Day and reconciliation,” said Brad Thorlakson, President & 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.”
Patricia Lessard, owner of Leading Edge Promo, said, “We are excited to launch the Official Orange Shirt Day 2021 Campaign design March 1, 2021 and to partner with the Orange Shirt Society to provide this thoughtful design on merchandise for people to enjoy for many years. Building awareness and reconciliation is something that gives us purpose and is rewarding.”
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.
About Orange Shirt Society
The Orange Shirt Society is a non-profit organization with its home in Williams Lake, BC where Orange Shirt Day began in 2013. The purposes of our 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.”
About Tolko
Tolko is a leading manufacturer of a wide range of forest products for customers around the world, including lumber, plywood and veneer-oriented strand board co-products, biomass power, and a growing number of specialty wood products. For more than 60 years, our family-owned company has delivered reliability, flexibility, efficiency, and quality. We hold third-party certification on the forestlands we sustainably manage in British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan, and we play an active role in the communities where our employees live and work.
About Leading Edge Promo
Based in Langley, BC, Leading Edge Promo supplies branded apparel and promotional products to businesses, schools, non-profits, and various associations.
For more information, contact:
Orange Shirt Society:
Phyllis Webstad, Executive Director
250.305.7516
phyllis.webstad@orangeshirtday.org
Tolko:
Chris Downey, Communications Advisor
250.306.0929
chris.downey@tolko.com
Leading Edge Promo:
Patricia Lessard, Owner
604.881.1104 or 604.809.1104
patricia@leadingedgepromo.ca
