Brock and Kiara Fraser are seen at the Kamloops Indian Residential School memorial after a 215 km fundraising run.

Image Credit: Facebook

Brock Fraser was shocked by the success of his charity run last year dedicated to Indian residential school survivors and now he plans to do it again.

After ground-penetrating radar identified 215 suspected graves in an apple orchard by near the former Kamloops Indian Residential School in May 2021, Fraser committed to a 215 kilometre marathon by running 21.5 km a day over ten days. He raised around $70,000. All the proceeds were donated to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society.

READ MORE: Chief sees process of 'exhumation to memorialization' at Kamloops graves site

Now he wants to make the run an annual event with a 21.5 km run planned for June 12.

"After things took off last year and we had so much involvement... people were looking forward to an annual event," Fraser said. "So many tragedies are brought forward in the news, then everyone forgets and people move forward."

This time, he wants to keep the momentum going and help support the survivors he's met along the journey, along with the many more he hasn't.

The announcement of the unmarked graves last year by Tk'emlups te Secwepemc rippled across the globe. It set off another reckoning with Canada's colonial past, six years after the Truth and Reconciliation Commission completed its work. 

Similar radar work was used at other Indian residential school sites across Canada and more Bands announced they, too, found unmarked graves, but Tk'emlups has remained at the centre of attention since the May 2021 announcement, with Kukpi7 (Chief) Rosanne Casimir joining other First Nations delegates to visit the Pope at the Vatican earlier this year.

READ MORE: iN VIDEO: Kamloops man ends 215 km run raising $65K for residential school survivors

The 21.5 km run will begin at 10 a.m. June 12, at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School.

There will be two distances to choose from. One is a 21.5 km run or bike, and the second is a 5 km run or walk.

Participants are encouraged to wear orange, and while the event is posted on Facebook, any donations are being directed to the Indian Residential School Society here.

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