If you see someone on campus sporting an orange top today, it may be more than a bold fashion choice.

Sept. 30 is Orange Shirt Day – a legacy of the St. Joseph Mission residential school commemoration event originally held in Williams Lake in 2013.

The citrus hue has been chosen to mark the event because of Phyllis Webstad’s experience at a residential school, where the then six-year-old had her orange shirt taken away upon arrival.

The date to commemorate was selected as it is the time of year in which First Nations children were taken away from their homes and into residential schools.

Orange Shirt Day is an opportunity to come together in the spirit of reconciliation and hope for generations of children to come. For more information, see here.