Orange Shirt Day 2015 will be recognized in 100 Mile House on Sept. 30.
The awareness event takes place in the Lumberman's Park ballfields at the South Cariboo Rec. Centre beginning at 1 p.m., and it will feature residential school survivor Phyllis Webstad, whose story of a beloved orange shirt led to the national day of recognition.
Like Webstad, keynote speaker Bev Sellars was incarcerated at St. Josephs Mission, a former Indian residential school in Williams Lake.
Also Chief of Xat'sull First Nation at Soda Creek, Sellars wrote a book about her experience, They Called Me Number One, for which she became a finalist for the 2014 Burt Award for First Nations, Métis and Inuit Literature.
Other speakers include Canim Lake Band Chief Mike Archie, District of 100 Mile House Mayor Mitch Campsall, Cariboo Regional District (CRD) chair Al Richmond, and School District #27 superintendent Mark Thiessen.
Eliza Archie Memorial School will perform traditional drumming, and activities for all children and students will take place immediately following the speakers, with the event wrapping up by 2 p.m.
As one of the event organizers, CRD Area H Director Margo Wagner says she encourages the community to turn out and support the cause.
"It is an extremely important event and we need to work towards reconciling and working with our First Nations partners."