Northern Ont. residential school survivor to throw first pitch at Blue Jays game Friday
As part of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Friday, Dolores Naponse will throw the first pitch when the Toronto Blue Jays take on the Boston Red Sox.
Dolores Naponse, 72, is an Indigenous elder, advocate and residential school survivor from the Atikameksheng Anishnawbek First Nation just southwest of Sudbury.
Her presence is a reminder of the need to know the history of what happened to victims of residential schools.
"What I hope people learn from this – Canada, all of Canada learn from this -- is how we were taken away, how hurt we were in those schools and the loneliness that we went through by being there," said Naponse.
She has been an active advocate for many issues.
Her daughter, Lisa Marie, is proud of what her mom has survived and accomplished.
"She has done so much work for our communities and never asked for anything," said Lisa Marie.
"She has done a walk across Ontario in 2000 for diabetes awareness. She is on our health committee here, in our community. And she has done so much for residential survivors in our community."
For her part, Dolores said she's looking forward to getting to Toronto. She said she is throwing the first pitch all for survivors and communities to move forward in a good way.
"I am excited to go there," she said.
"My family is supporting me and we have the Atikameksheng Blue Jays Care teams across the seven First Nations going to be there. So it's going to be an exciting time, not only for me, but all of the First Nations."
This summer, several North Shore First Nations took part in a Jays Care Indigenous Rookie Baseball League for ages 7-15, including Delores' grandsons.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
New Norad commander calls Canada's defence policy update 'very encouraging'
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Are Canadians getting sick from expired food?
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.