Vancouver Career College Raises Funds for Residential School Survivors through Interactive T-Shirt Design Competition

Vancouver Career College raised funds for Indian Residential School Survivors Society through student-led design competition.

NEW WESTMINSTER, BC, Oct. 20, 2021 /CNW/ - Vancouver Career College led a student T-shirt design competition to raise money for residential school survivors, honouring the first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation in BC. Students were encouraged to submit their design ideas in order to be featured on Vancouver Career College's official orange T-shirt. A winner was chosen by a panel at the college, and his design was prominently displayed on the official orange T-shirt. These orange shirts were sold by donation to students and other members of the community, and all of the proceeds went to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society.

Bert A., Graphic Design alumnus was honoured to be chosen as the winning recipient. His design was featured on each orange T-shirt, sold by donation to the community. Vancouver Career College raised a total of $1,000 towards Indian Residential School Survivors Society to support residential school survivors in BC.

In addition to selling orange T-shirts, Vancouver Career College chose to support local Indigenous businesses, leading up to National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Local business – Sḵwálwen Botanicals, offering high-quality skin care products – was featured on the website and the founder, Leigh Joseph, was interviewed for the blog. Learn more here.

About Orange Shirt Day

Orange Shirt Day is commemorated on September 30 each year, as thousands of individuals gather across the country to remember and honor the victims and survivors of residential schools. Inspired by the story of Phyllis Webstad – who wore a bright orange shirt on her first day attending a BC residential school in 1973 – had her shirt stripped from her, never to be seen again. This act represented the poor and unfair treatment that many Indigenous children and families experienced from the late 1800s to early 1990s, when the last residential school was finally shut down.

Orange Shirt Day is now recognized as a Canadian federal holiday: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. As of now, resolutions have currently been passed by local governments, school districts, and First Nations in the Cariboo and beyond. This new national holiday will also serve to commemorate residential school survivors and further educate thousands of Canadians. For more information, visit www.orangeshirtday.org.   

About Vancouver Career College

Vancouver Career College offers accelerated, practical career training programs and courses led by industry-experienced instructors in the fields of business, healthcare, technology, teaching education, art and design, and more. With a student-focused approach to learning, students develop hands-on knowledge and skills they can use to launch their new careers in workforce as soon as they graduate. For more information, visit www.career.college.

SOURCE Vancouver Career College

Sheliza Thobani, Communications Lead, 604.915.7288 ext. 2930