Sudburians are being encouraged to sign up for the third annual Greater Sudbury Police Service Truth and Reconciliation Relay, which runs Sept. 1 this year.
With an opening and closing ceremony and prayers from Will Morin, Anishinaabe storyteller, artist and educator, the event’s June 27 launch was held at Shkagamik-Kwe Health Centre.
Shkagamik-Kwe offers support during the relay, including the design of their website and educational materials.
The relay began as an internal challenge, said Acting Greater Sudbury Police Chief Sarah Cunningham.
“We began this initiative as an internal event for our members of GSPS in 2022, and we set a goal of 10,000 kilometers and 100 participants and internally we exceeded that goal and walk 12,000 kilometers with 110 participants,” she said.
From there, the two organizers, Const. Anik Dennie and Const. Katrina Pitawanakwat, approached Indigenous liaison officer, Det.-Const. Darrell Rivers, and the event has now grown to not only include more than 1000 participants, but from 41 other organizations in Sudbury.
This year, the launch happened early with the hope of giving organizations the chance to recruit participants this summer.
Relay participants will be directed to a website, offering information about the relay, and as of Sept. 1, it will be the place where participants can log their kilometres, steps or time spent pursuing an activity such as swimming, with formulas designed to translate the information into total kilometres.
The goal is to reach 150,000 kilometres in the month of September. The number is significant because it is the estimated number of children who were taken away from their homes and sent to residential schools.
Last year, said Rivers, the goal was more than exceeded, with 393,493 kilometres tracked.
There will also be a scavenger hunt, a partnership with Rainbow Routes who have chosen seven of their trails to hide seven stones, each with one of the grandfather teachings written on it. If one is located while out on the trail, participants are asked to take a selfie with the rock (rather than the rock itself) and send in for a chance to win a prize.
There is also a friendly competition between the Greater Sudbury Police Service and the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service, which culminates in the exchange of the Championing Change paddle, which is showcased at the headquarters of the police service that logs the most kilometres.
Sault Ste. Marie won last year, and the paddle was returned to Sudbury by Const. Beau Neveau, and in jovial spirit, the GSPS officers at the event made it clear they had no intention of letting it leave Sudbury again.
Each person who would like to participate in the relay is asked to register, and take time to watch videos that detail the tragic legacy of the residential schools in Canada.
They will also be asked to choose a call to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to consider while they log their kilometres, with a focus on finding a way to implement that call in their everyday life and work.
It’s important to the community, and to survivors, said Ron Sarazin, director, Indigenous student services at Cambrian College. Last year, the college came in second in the variety of prizes that come with the relay, including highest kilometres and most number of participants per organization.
Sarazin said both his parents attended residential schools, and he was proud to be a part of the event.
“It's a great initiative to bring awareness and understanding of the truth and reconciliation 94 calls to action; a fun event meant to bring many organizations together in the spirit of education and awareness,” and noting that his parents both attended the schools, alongside approximately 150,000 others, said “this means a lot to me and it's a phenomenal community event.”
The relay gets underway Sept. 1 and runs until the end of that month.
Jenny Lamothe is a reporter with Sudbury.com
