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Community rallies after reconciliation school project vandalized

Hundreds of orange hearts made by students and staff at Suwilaawks Community School were found destroyed on National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
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Brynn and Brooke Dando making small hearts and shirts together at the farmers market in terrace Oct 1. (Submitted photo)

An art installation of hundreds of ‘every child matters’ orange hearts made by students and staff of Suwilaawks Community School, and placed along Howe Creek Trail in Terrace were found destroyed on Sept. 30, Canada’s second annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Aaron Callaghan, superintendent of schools for the Coast Mountains School District 82, said close to 300 orange hearts had been placed along the part of the trail closest to their school.

After learning of the vandalism Callaghan spoke with Pam Kawinsky, school principal at Suwilaawks, who told him the act by a person or persons unknown did not dampen the school community’s spirits.

“It was an unfortunate incident, but the hearts and intentions are in the right place and they weren’t letting that deter from their efforts that day,” Callaghan said.

“I think the way that the school community engaged with it was an amazing way for kids to have some conversations around truth and reconciliation and the experience of residential school survivors.”

Tyler Clarke, spokesperson for the City of Terrace, said the city condemns the vandalism “in the strongest possible terms,” adding, “This is a step backwards and must be called out.”

Upon learning what happened, community members quickly organized to collect wooden heart panels, paint, and other supplies and a booth was set up at the Skeena Valley Farmers Market the morning of Oct. 1 to create hundreds of orange hearts and shirts as a gesture of support for the school students.

Dave Gordon and Sarah Zimmerman began organizing a network of artists the evening of Sept. 30.

“When that happened, we kind of just galvanized the arts community that night,” Zimmerman said.

Creative Zone provided a number of wooden hearts, and some supplies and Razorback Engraving worked into the late hours to cut out around 260 hearts and shirts overnight.

The Terrace Art Gallery provided tables, paintbrushes and paint along with local artists.

People were invited to paint hearts and write messages of healing, love, and support that Zimmerman said was both about grieving and sending a message of hope after the “heartbreaking” incident.

“It was a real arts community effort in response to these kids having their project wrecked. And it doesn’t replace the ones that they did,” Zimmerman said.

“The overwhelming message that we got from people at the farmers market was they wanted those kids to know that people care about them and that we’re really not OK with what happened.”

Gordon said rather than blame people and be angry they decided to do something positive, and “show that there’s a different narrative in town.”

“I didn’t count all the hearts but I’ll bet we have nearly 300 pieces. We had lots of conversations in the market with community members and kids.”

Organizers are discussing with Suwilaawks about to do with the artwork that came out of the event.

“It’s an amazing little school,” Callaghan said, adding that staff marked the day by attending Indigenous-led ceremonies in the community and were unaware of the vandalism until later on.

“I’m not surprised that the community of Terrace was rallying around the school and supporting the school in the wake of the vandalism as well.”

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