Friday: Orange Shirt Day

Friday, September 30 is orange shirt day, a day to remember the generations of aboriginal students forced away from their families and into residential schools. 

If you haven't yet purchased your orange shirt, you can stop by the Aboriginal Cultural & Learning Centre, where shirts will be on sale for $20. Orange ribbons will also be sold.

All proceeds from these sales will help to fund this year's Round Dance and Pow Wow. 

You can read more about the orange shirt project here: http://www.orangeshirtday.org/

This Thursday: Learn about Electoral Reform!

This Thursday, the Centre for Social Justice will host two information sessions on electoral reform: once from 11:30-12:30 in P111 and again at 7pm in A223. (The content for the sessions will be the same.)

The sessions have been researched and planned by a group of local citizens working collaboratively. Their goal is to share a clear and non-partisan overview of the various options under consideration: they’ll provide a 30-minute presentation, which will be followed by a question and answer period.

The sessions are open to all, and we’re hoping for a packed room. Please join us if you’re free.

Thank you Mariatu!

Mariatu Kamara shared her story with us on Friday. She spoke of her time in Sierra Leone before the war, of her memories of living in fear as the fighting moved closer to her village, of her horrific attack, and of her survival in the days afterwards. She also spoke of her hopes for change: she's a UNICEF spokesperson working to end the atrocities committed against women and children during war, and she's in the process of establishing the Mariatu Foundation, one of the goals of which to help women and children in Sierra Leone.

Paul Wiersma, Deve Persad, Mariatu Kamara, Chantelle Butterfield, Erica Kelly, and Susan Chamberlain

Mariatu's novel, The Bite of the Mango, tells her story of survival and hope; it's available for sale at The Book Keeper.

Mariatu's courage and resilience are inspirational. Thank you to everyone who collaborated to bring Mariatu to town, and thank you, Mariatu, for being here!

Smile Cookies for the Women's Interval Home

Tim Horton's smile cookies are on sale now, and every smile cookie sold in Sarnia helps the Women's Interval Home of Sarnia-Lambton. 

The cookies are on sale from September 12-18 this year.

The cookies are $1, and the full proceeds from their sale are donated to programming at the Women's Interval Home. These are the programs that aren't funded by the Ministry of Community and Social Services and wouldn't otherwise be covered--programs like the Youth Relationship Program, Community Education and Awareness, Creative Kids Club, Life Skills, and Youth Life Skills.

Last year, the cookie sales raised $12,000 locally.  

 Visit www.timhortons.com to learn more.

Guest Speaker: Mariatu Kamara

We're excited to announce that Mariatu Kamara, who is a survivor of the civil war in Sierra Leone and a UNICEF spokesperson, will visit Lambton College to share her story. 

Mariatu Kamara, photo from Annick Press

Mariatu’s talk takes place on Friday, September 16 at 6:30 in A223. The event is free, and all are welcome.

The event has been arranged and sponsored by The Bookkeeper, the Sarnia Lambton Committee Against the Trafficking of Women and Children, the Centre for Social Justice, and LInC. 

Welcome Back!