News & Stories

With the first Day of National Truth and Reconciliation past us, our clubs wanted to share how our clubs chose to participate. There were many activities the kids participated in to raise awareness around the importance of the day and learning more about Indigenous culture. This day also coincided with Orange Shirt Day, and club kids participated by wearing orange and making crafts around #EveryChildMatters.

Over at West Club, they even made a commitment to continue learning about their Indigenous brothers and sisters in Canada – creating a club land acknowledgement, learning why they do one and working together to write one as a club.

Here’s a full list of photos and activities from BGCBig clubs during the week of September 27^th – October 1^st 

 

• Kinsmen Club: Kinsmen is going to utilize the Downie-Wenjack Legacy Package that they received from BGC (as mentioned and promoted in The Scoop) and will carry on with activities from this toolkit after September. The Legacy toolkit contains resources to engage staff, students, and communities and act as a catalyst for their commitment to the work of reconciliation. They will also be reading and participating in activities from the book The Secret Path. Lastly, the club will be implementing some Indigenous games that were taught to us from Camillia during the summer. The children really loved playing a game around “Ice fishing” (using hula hoops and pool noodles) and also learning and participating in Lacrosse.
  • McCauley Club: Will start each day teaching children about the importance of smudging and will begin each day with a smudge. The group will also watch age appropriate videos regarding reconciliation and participate in a group discussion afterwards. The children are also going to learn about various Indigenous territories across Canada, the Metis, and the importance of Elders. The children will also be participating in various Indigenous games that were taught during the summer such as lacrosse, horse back riding races (using pool noodles) and the “Hide the Bead” game. The children will also be participating in an Ojibway Medicine wheel craft/ activity.
  • Rundle Club: Will start each day teaching children about the importance of smudging and will begin each day with a smudge. The group at Rundle will be learning about Indigenous territories, treaties, and languages from across Canada. The children will also be introduced to the topic (age appropriate of course) of residential schools and will be followed by a self reflection activity. The children will also be participating in an activity where each child will be given the opportunity to discuss and present information about their own family’s culture and some examples of practices they practice in their own homes. The children at Rundle will also be participating in the Ojibway Medicine Wheel Activity.
  • West: Will start each day teaching children about the importance of smudging and will begin each day with a smudge. The children at West will focus on discussions and activities to begin each day. The children will also participate in the Ojibway Medicine Wheel activity. They will also learn about (age appropriate of course) about Residential Schools and the harm it caused various communities across Canada in terms of lost languages, cultural practices, and diversity. The children will also discuss and participate in activities associated with Orange Shirt Day and will learn about the importance of the color orange and how Orange Shirt Day was developed.
  • Tweddle: Will be participating in activities almost identical to West Club.
  • Club Connect: Will start each day teaching children about the importance of smudging and will begin each day with a smudge. Club Connect will also be using the Downie-Jack Legacy Package similar to Kinsmen Club. The children will also be making giant Orange Shirt Posters that they will display around the club. Club Connect sites also loved the Indigenous programming from the summer and will be implementing some of the favorite games the group have learned from the summer.