City council again proclaims April 7 Green Shirt Day
By Lethbridge Herald on March 21, 2023.
Mayor Blaine Hyggen wears a Humboldt Broncos jersey at Tuesday’s at city council meeting.
Herald photo by Al BeeberAl Beeber – LETHBRIDGE HERALD – abeeber@lethbridgeherald.com
April 7 has once again been declared Green Shirt Day in Lethbridge.
City council unanimously voted on Tuesday afternoon to approve an official business motion brought forward by mayor Blaine Hyggen.
While council on Jan. 11, 1999 based a resolution stating the mayor’s office would stop the practice of issuing proclamations, a request was made Tuesday for an exception.
The day is a tribute to late Lethbridge resident and hockey player Logan Boulet who died of his injuries sustained in the horrific Saskatchewan collision on April 7, 2018 between the Humboldt Broncos team bus and a semi-trailer that crashed into it.
The young defenseman became a registered organ donor after being inspired by his coach and mentor Ric Suggitt whose organs saved six lives in 2017. His parents Toby and Bernadine offered to donate their sons organs and it’s estimated that at least 150,000 Canadians were inspired to register in the weeks after the bus crash.
Green Shirt Day is intended to honour all victims of the crash and to continue Boulet’s legacy by inspiring Canadians to talk about being donors and registering as donors.
Of the 29 people aboard the bus 16 died while another 13 suffered physical and emotional scars they will carry with them for life.
Hyggen, wearing a green Humboldt Broncos jersey for the occasion, said in a response to a question about making day official for perpetuity, said he thought declaring it annually would bring renewed attention to it every year.
Hyggen said in response to councillor Mark Campbell, the year proclamation would refresh people’s memory about the loss of life and the huge impact Boulet’s organ donations have made.
The reason for the 1999 resolution was to avoid endorsements for causes that would result in controversy.
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