BLUE JAYS OBSERVE NATIONAL DAY FOR TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION AT ROGERS CENTRE
The Toronto Blue Jays and Jays Care Foundation join all of Canada on Saturday, Sept. 30 in recognizing the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, honouring the children who never returned home and Survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities.
On Saturday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays (3:07 p.m.), the Blue Jays will welcome Survivors and their families and community members, as well as 72 children from Indigenous Rookie League Jays Care programming, including members of the Touchwood Agency Tribal Council program and athletes and coaches of their winning team from the Muskowekwan First Nation.
Following a collective moment of reflection, Sgt. Chantal Larocque from the Anishinabek Police Service will take the field to sing the national anthem in French, English, and Algonquin. Close to 200 of Larocque’s colleagues, family, and friends from Anishinabek Police Service, Nipissing First Nation & Dokis First Nation will join her at the game.
The Blue Jays are honoured to welcome four Elders from the Touchwood Agency Tribal Council to throw the ceremonial first pitch. The Elders will be cheered on from the Jays Care Community Clubhouse by members from the Touchwood Agency Tribal Council, part of Jays Care Indigenous Rookie League. The Elders are:
- Chief Jamie Wolfe – Muskowekwan First Nation
- Chief Lloyd Buffalo – Day Star First Nation
- Chief LeeAnn Kehler – Kawacatoose First Nation
- Chief Byron Bitternose – George Gordon First Nation
To honour Survivors and all the lives impacted by the residential school system, the Blue Jays worked with the Survivors Secretariat to produce orange "Every Child Matters" shirts for staff. The t-shirt design was created by Montana Adams, an Ojibewe/Chippewa artist from Aamjiwnaang First Nation. The Survivors’ Flag will be featured prominently throughout the stadium.
In support of their important work for Survivors and their families, Jays Care is donating a total of $150,000 to the following Indigenous-led organizations:
- First Nations Child and Family Caring Society (national)
- National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (national)
- Orange Shirt Society (national)
- Reconciliation Canada (national)
- The Legacy of Hope Foundation (national)
- The Downie Wenjack Fund (national)
- Indian Residential Schools Survivors Society (BC)
- Inuvialuit Regional Corporation – The Nanilavut Initiative (NT)
- Children of Shingwauk (ON)
- Ontario Native Women's Association (ON)
- Survivors’ Secretariat (ON)
- Talk4Healing (ON)
- Woodland Cultural Centre (ON)
Jays Care and the Blue Jays are honoured to work with and learn from more than 150 Indigenous partners across Turtle Island who are committed to co-designing and implementing programming for more than 7,100 Indigenous children and youth. This year, approximately $2.5 million was committed to programming in Indigenous communities, including Indigenous Rookie League, a multi-generational baseball league that promotes healing through inter-generational connections and community collaboration.
Fans can support Jays Care programs in Indigenous communities at jayscare.com. Additionally, as part of the Jays Shop Pitch In program, when fans round up their purchase from September 25 to 30, all proceeds go towards Jays Care Indigenous programming. Donations can also be made to one of the organizations listed above, benefitting Survivors and their families and communities.