THUNDER BAY — The rain and the puddles didn’t damper the spirits during the journey to the Neebing-McIntyre Floodway.
Several members of the community took part in the 19th annual Full Memory Walk on Friday, which began at Thunder Bay city hall and took participants on a three-kilometre walk.
The event was initiated by Sharon Johnson in the early 2000’s and is meant to honour murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls, but has also been expanded to include men, boys and those who are two-spirit.
Sharon wanted to do something after losing her sister, Sandra Johnson, whose body was found on a frozen river in the city 31 years ago. The walk is held annually in September to honour her sister's birth month, who was born in September of 1973, and specifically held during the full moon.
“Sandy loved people. She was [the] baby sister. We all loved and adored her, and she had many friends,” she said.
To date, Sandra Johnson's death is a case has never been solved.
Sharon noted that she loves to do the walk on an annual basis.
“It's a good feeling to have people walking with us. It's nice to see the people that come out to support us and other family members.”
The walk began with a flag raising event at city hall.
