Sylix Okanagan Nation calling Sylix survivors, families to caravan in unity to the former Kamloops Indian Residential School

Photo: Contributed

The Penticton Indian Band has issued a notice for the Sylix Okanagan Nation for an upcoming day to honour the 215 Indigenous youth whose remains were discovered at a former residential school site in Kamloops.

In the message, members are told that the chair of the Okanagan Nation Alliance, Chief Clarence Louie, has connected with the organizer of the Tk’emlups te Secwépemc and arranged a date for communities of the nation to pay their respects and carry out formal ceremonies.

Sylix survivors, families and drummers are invited to caravan in unity on Saturday, June 26 to the site of the Kamloops Indian Residential School.

Caravan times and starting site locations are listed for the day, beginning at the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton at 9 a.m.

The times listed are the times vehicles will be departing from the locations, participants are asked to arrive 20-30 minutes before.

At 9:50 a.m., vehicles will depart from the Westbank First Nation Office in Kelowna.

At 10:50 am. vehicles will leave from the Vernon Okanagan College Campus.

At 12 p.m. vehicles will leave from the pullout between Monte Lake and Monte Creek.

The ceremony at the Kamloops residential school will begin at 1 p.m.

The PIB is offering financial support to their registered community members who wish to participate and join in the caravan, which can be found here.

PIB members without a vehicle to travel in may also take the PIB school bus which has been secured for that day. Seats can be saved by calling Cricket Testawhich at 778-559-1327.

“As we are still getting through COVID, we must comply with current safety protocols. Please wear your mask if social distancing isn’t possible and use hand sanitizer frequently,” the release reads.

Photo: Okanagan Nation Alliance