Who was Terry Fox? Terry Fox is a Canadian hero. He lost his leg to cancer when he was a teenager. He decided to run across Canada to raise awareness about cancer and to collect money for research. He began on April 12th, 1980 in Newfoundland. Sadly, he stopped in Ontario on September 1st, 1980 because he was too sick to run. He died in 1981 at the age of 22. Terry Fox taught us about determination.
Every year, Canadian students run together to remember Terry Fox. Students at Spring Park will run on Thursday, September 29, 2022. We will be collecting loonies ($1) to donate to cancer research.
What is the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation? September 30th is a new holiday in Canada. On this day, we think about an unhappy part of Canada's history. Indigenous children were taken from their families (from 1894 to the 1970's). They were forced to go to residential schools. They were not allowed to speak their own languages or practice their cultures. This has hurt Indigenous people for many generations and caused many problems for them.
At Spring Park, many children and teachers will wear an orange shirt on September 29th. This shows our belief that every child is important and deserves respect.
What is Remembrance Day? On November 11th at 11 a.m., Canadians participate in a moment of silence to remember the people who fought and died in war. Many people wear red poppy pins and collect money for veterans. It is a time to think about the importance of peace, as well. It is a holiday and there is no school.
February 21st is Islander Day! There is no school on that day and usually many businesses are closed. Islander Day was first celebrated in 2009. There are similar holidays on this day in other Canadian provinces. You can use this day to celebrate family and community. Often, there are winter-themed events in the city. Some people enjoy outdoor activities such as skating, skiing, and snowshoeing.
What is Pink Shirt Day? Many students and teachers will wear a pink shirt on this day. We do this to show that we think people should be kind to each other and that bullies should be stopped. We want our schools and communities to be safe for everyone.
This day was started in Nova Scotia in 2007, but now many countries in the world also have a pink shirt or anti-bullying day. A boy in Nova Scotia wore a pink shirt to school one day and was bullied. His teacher bought 50 pink shirts for other students to wear to show they supported the boy who was bullied.