Penticton Vees hosting Indigenous night, wearing jersey designed by Syilx Multi-Disciplinary Artist

Photo: Contributed

The Penticton Vees are encouraging the community to attend this Friday night's game in orange shirts, to honour Indigenous Night at the South Okanagan Events Centre.

The team is working in collaboration with the Penticton Indian Band to raise money for the Orange Shirt Society.

The Vees shared in a news release that they will be wearing specially-designed orange Indigenous jerseys for their game against the Cowichan Valley Capitals, which feature a Four Food Chiefs Vees logo designed by Syilx multi-disciplinary artist Wynona Paul.

The orange jerseys are sponsored by Greyback Construction.

The jerseys will later be auctioned off, with proceeds going towards the Orange Shirt Society.

“I chose the Four Food Chiefs for my concept as without the sacrifice of all our Four Food Chiefs, we as the people would not have survived without them,” said Paul.

“This oral history of the Syilx People of SnPink’tn (Penticton – The Always Place) continues to be passed down generations in our homes and our schools. Even in adversity and in the face of genocide, we are still here.”

Indigenous Night will feature a special pre-game ceremony and a ceremonial puck drop with Chief Greg Gabriel and Penticton Mayor Julius Bloomfield.

Chief Gabriel said to this day, the community continues to deal with the intergenerational impacts of residential schools.

“Each year on Sept. 30, we stand together to observe the National day for Truth and Reconciliation or Orange Shirt Day. Orange Shirt Day in particular is meant to honour and remember the many children who were taken from the families and parents and placed in the federally run Indian Residential Schools which operated between the years 1867 to 1996. Tragically, many, many of those children never returned to their families and never returned from those schools,” he said, in a press release.

“We are so blessed and honoured to have many of those brave warrior residential school survivors still among us today. As we continue our long path to Truth and Reconciliation, I would like to thank and recognize the Penticton Vees for their support and doing their part to help with our journey towards healing."

The chief went on to say that the Vees not only bring pride to the communities but are notable ambassadors as representatives for the City of Penticton.

Bloomfield said reconciliation takes many paths and events like the Penticton Vees' Indigenous Night is an important opportunity to extend support as a community.

"We recognize the pain and harm of the past, honour the strength and resilience of survivors and those still dealing with the trauma, and extend the hand of friendship to our neighbours. Hockey is part of our shared history, the arena where we gather together in common purpose, and I applaud the Vees for this step towards building a stronger relationship between us all,” he said.

Fans are encouraged to wear orange shirts for the game Friday.

The BC Hockey Hall of Fame 50/50 jackpot is starting at $5,445 on Friday, after a previous unclaimed winning ticket from Jan. 11.

Tickets are $18 for adults and free for local youth 18 and under as always. Special ticket pricing is available to anyone who shows their status card at the SOEC box office.

Tickets are available at the SOEC box office, or online at www.valleyfirsttix.com