These jerseys help spark conversation at the Warriors home opener

The West Kelowna Warriors play their first home game tonight and will sport a different look than their traditional black, maroon and gold jerseys.

All the players will be wearing special orange uniforms as part of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation when they play the Wenatchee Wild at Royal LaPage Place.

Each one features the “Every Child Matters” logo from Andy Everson’s design of four hands arranged in a circle.

Spirit of the Lake Native Boutique in West Kelowna are the main sponsors for the jerseys. Owner, Tasha Mae Swite, told Kelowna10 said she wanted to have her own involvement in the West Kelowna hockey scene.

“I’ve always been a hockey fan, my son joined West Kelowna Minor Hockey Association, and I know [Warriors President] Chris Laurie, we go way back to high school,” she said. “I always wanted to be a part of the community. We talked and joined a partnership and I sponsored the Every Child Matters Game.”

Swite, who’s an intergenerational survivor, was very happy with how the jerseys came out and said it is very important players reflect the messaging of what the day signifies.

“It’s an honour for the young men of the West Kelowna Warriors to be wearing the colour orange,” she said. “The orange represents the children that never returned home, and making that awareness and education the reason why we wear orange for Truth and Reconciliation Day.”

Warriors captain Aiden Reeves said having a night like this for the home opener will hopefully get more people to have conversations.

“It’s very important to our organization and the country. It’s important for everyone to tell their story and see the effects it had on the children and the families and a lot of them didn’t get their kids home and it’s very hard,” he said. “It’s cool for everyone to get a little knowledge on it. I think you can educate yourself more and more on every topic. The Warriors think it’s important to make it a night and it’s cool to show the community we support them.”

Fans can bid on each jersey during a silent auction happening during the game with proceeds going towards the Residential School Survivors Society.