Legacy Fund Gifts $25,000 to Residential School Memorial Sculpture

May 6, 2015

The shíshálh Nation will be erecting a monument on the original site of the old St Augustine’s Residential School, in the area behind the Raven’s Cry Theatre, to commemorate the children from the 48 First Nations who attended the school as residential and day scholars from 1904 to 1975.

The monument, being carved by Michel Beauvais of Halfmoon Bay, will be a stone carving of a grandmother and children. The stone is red granite from Texada Island in the territory of the shíshálh First Nation.

The Sechelt Community Forest Legacy Fund has generously allocated a donation of $25,000.00 for the carving of the monument.

An account has been set up at the Sunshine Coast Credit Union to take donations directly for the Residential School Monument.

St John’s United Church is prepared to match donations up to a total of $3000. (If people want to consider this option, please make cheques out to St John’s United Church and identify on the cheque: Funds for Residential School Monument. Send to Nancy Smith; Secretary, St John’s United Church, 5085 Davis Bay Road, Sechelt, V0N 3A2)

The Process of Reconciliation is a path which includes us all and this is an opportunity to participate in a local expression of reconciliation, both by donating to the Monument Fund and by attending the invitation to celebrate the statue’s unveiling with the shishahl Nation in June.

NT5