Red Scarf Project History
- The goal of World Aids Day is to raise awareness about the importance of knowing one’s status and calling for the removal of barriers in accessing HIV testing and treatment in our communities.
- Red scarves are a larger scale symbol of the red ribbon. The WNCHC has been involved in this event since 2018. The scarves are knitting/crochet by the WNCHC Knitting Circle as well as various community members and tied to trees and lamp posts in our downtown core.
- In 2022, we had a total of 86 scarves in West Nipissing.
- In 2023, the WNCHC involved community partners for the first time and scarves were distributed throughout West Nipissing and surrounding communities including Garden Village and Duchesnay to honour Indigenous Aids Awareness Week and 154 scarves were hung.
- Partners involved: Aids Committee of North Bay and Area, The West Nipissing Knitting Circle, The Alliance Centre, The Lawrence Commanda Health Centre, the West Nipissing Family Health Team, College Boreal and West Nipissing Pride.
- In 2024, we distributed approximately 200 scarves again throughout West Nipissing and surrounding communities, members of the working group including the West Nipissing Mayor attended the scarf tying ceremony at the Band office in Garden Village as part of reconciliation. It was also the first year where high school students were involved, a group from Franco-Cite attended our ceremony and proceeded by tying scarves around their school.