KAWARTHA LAKES-Susan Lamoureaux is Metis and recently spent time tracing her family tree. She says the discovery of the remains of 215 children in Kamloops BC hit her hard.
“I have always had a yearning to know my culture and background and after the news of the findings that were discovered in Kamloops I cried .. just the thoughts of what the children went through and what the parents went through is just so sad.” Lamoureaux told Kawartha 411 News
She says her grandsons starting asking questions about it and that prompted her to want to do more.
“My Grandsons Shawn and Andrew has learned about residential schools at King Albert Public School, and heard the news about 215 children remains that were found, and they were asking questions. So I explained that dark past as best I could … last night I was thinking about the situation and we should do something to remember these 215 souls .”
They took some orange sidewalk chalk and started drawing hearts on the sidewalk around King Albert School at 49 Glenelg Street West in Lindsay. She wants the public to join in and have one heart for each child drawn on the sidewalk.
“Thursday morning before school I asked the boys, would you like to do something for the little children that lost their lives in Residential schools …to remember them .. and raise awareness and they asked what can we do ? Then I suggested drawing orange hearts around our school.”
They received permission from the school principal and got to work. They managed to get 70 hearts done.
“Our goal is to get 215. It’s so important for our children to know our past and remember them and to learn to have empathy.”
She has left some chalk on the sidewalk for anyone who wants to join in.
