Sister of HRC survivor donates $18K toward $25K fundraising campaign; 'It’s her way of showing love and support for her brother'

Accessibility upgrades at the Huronia Regional Centre (HRC) survivors’ monument are almost a reality thanks to a substantial donation.

Remember Every Name, a group dedicated to sharing the stories of former residents of the shuttered institution on Memorial Avenue, launched a fundraising campaign in January with the hope of raising $25,000 to allow for the installation of a walkway and two benches at the monument, located at the HRC Cemetery on Memorial Avenue.

The campaign got off to a slow start, but it received a major boost recently. A woman whose brother was a resident at the HRC donated $18,000.

“I was flabbergasted,” said Debbie Vernon, communications co-ordinator with Remember Every Name. “I was just so happy to be receiving this news. It felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.”

Knowing that it came from a family member of a survivor made it even more special.

“She heard her brother’s stories and she understands the history behind the institution. It’s her way of showing love and support for her brother, who had a horrific experience there,” Vernon said, noting the donor is remaining anonymous for now.

Many people have placed blame on family members for sending their loved ones to the HRC, suggesting they dropped them off “and forgot about them,” Vernon said, but added that wasn’t the case.

“Here’s a sister that could not forget and came forward with this contribution that spoke from the heart,” she said.

That donation brings the total amount raised to $23,530.17.

“We just need a few more donations to push this over the top,” Vernon said.

Donations can be made here.

Because the goal has almost been reached, Vernon has written to Infrastructure Ontario to move the process along to the point where quotes can be received for the upgrades.

Steve Sanderson, of Signature Memorials in Orillia, and Gravenhurst artist Hilary Clark Cole have agreed to design and install the two granite benches, Vernon said. Clark Cole designed the monument, which was unveiled in August 2019, with the help of Sanderson.

“It’s critical that the materials and the theme of the memorial also be applied to the benches,” Vernon said.

The following words will be engraved on the backs of the two benches. One will be in Braille.

If These Walls Could Talk 

Crows have long memories and remind us we are not alone in caring for this place and the people buried here. They call out and encourage us to speak and demand the truth.

As survivors we call on our communities to listen and learn from our experiences so history will not repeat itself. Butterflies represent the freedom and achievements of survivors’ lives outside the institution. Forget-me-nots signify our commitment to remembering what must never be forgotten.

This monument serves as a testament — to the pain and hope of people who are now free but who can never forget; and to the dream and struggle to end all institutions where people are not free. Hear the chorus of our hearts. Honour every death, remember every name, cherish every life.

Dedicated August 24th, 2019 to all those who survived living at Huronia Regional Centre and to those whose lives ended here. May peace be with them.

Written By: Nathan Taylor, OrilliaMatters.com