Upcoming Events

Orange Shirt/ Truth and Reconciliation Day

Sept. 30th 2026

1-3pm

Orange Shirt Day was inspired by Phyllis Webstad, a residential school survivor, whose new orange shirt was taken away on her first day of residential school. This story has become a powerful symbol of the experience of many indigenous children.

September 30 we will gather in Lockwood Part and remember the children who died in the Residential School System run by Canadian churches and government. We honor the survivors who still heal from the trauma and inspire us all with their courage.

We are excited to announce that, to highlight celebration, revival, courage, and resilience, Makhena Performance; Valerie Fenske, hoop dancer, and her brother Caleb, DJ, will be performing and sharing with local students on that day. Our circle will open with greetings and thoughts from our Community helper and Knowledge Keeper Mireille LaPointe. We are grateful to the people and the Village of Westport for covering the costs of the artists and the venue.

Lockwood Park, Westport Ontario

Community Memorial

Micro Gallery

for

Murdered and Missing

Indigenous Women, Children, and Two Spirit

Join Us! Memorialized in Art

Local memorial for Missing, Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two Spirit

BTC has joined The Canadian Library (TCL) Project https://www.thecanadianlibrary.ca/ to honour and bring attention to Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women, Girls and TwoSpirit (MMIWG2S).

Our first micro gallery installation was at the Cove Inn in Westport. The second installation was in the Newboro library. Both these installations have been brought together with newly covered books, in the Portland Library.

This national project, launched in 2021, consists of communities creating an art installation together as a memorial to the 8000 murdered and missing Indigenous women, girls and 2S. The TCL project supports the building of micro galleries of books bound in Indigenous-designed textiles, with the names of those lost in gold on the spines of the bound books. Some books will remain nameless to represent those who may never have a chance to tell their story. The project, guided by Indigenous elders, reflects our shared commitment as Canadians to teach the truth about our history and move towards healing. The names that will be placed on the books have been shared by elders and families with the desire to have the stories told and the lives honoured. Our micro galleries will be displayed publicly and locally until all the micro galleries come together in a prominent place for permanent exhibition.

We invite you to sponsor the purchase of fabric, at $30/m

We invite you to host a bookbinding event and or a microgallery in your public place to honour and raise concern for those missing or murdered. We can provide posters that support the exhibition.

Please contact us to sponsor, register or host at bettertogethercircle@gmail.com

our sincere thanks to all who contribute