Mary Murray, Gold Medalist, Write-Up
Mary Murray is eighty years old, from Nova Scotia, and has attended the Canada 55+ Seniors’ Games for approximately twelve years. This year the event was held here in Kamloops, from August 23rd to the 26th.
Mary won four medals: 1st place in 50 SC Meter Freestyle Swimming, 1st place in 100 SC Meter IM, 2nd place in 50 SC Meter Backstroke, and lastly, 2nd place in 50 SC Meter Breaststroke.
She donated one of her gold medal to Le Estcwicwéy̓ te Stsmémelt (the Missing Children) in care of Tk̓emlúps te Secwépemc C7élksten̓s re Secwépemc ne Ck̓úl̓tens ell ne Xqwelténs (TteS Language & Culture Dept.)
Mary fundraised money to attend the games she has participated in, through sponsorship, yard sales, etc. Mary has won medals for swimming and bowling over the years. She has represented Nova Scotia in the Canada 55+ Seniors’ Games, and this trip to Kamloops was special as she has never been to British Columbia.
While here, she could not stop herself from thinking of those mistreated in the schools, as Mary was brought up in a boarding school as a child of four years old, along with her two sisters. The boarding school she attended was St. Paul’s Home for Girls, operated by an Anglican Church in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In comparison to residential schools, they were treated very well. Therefore, she decided to give one of her gold medals in memory of the missing children, and those still suffering, and Duncan Gould helped her to achieve that goal.
Mary Murray will be presented with the “Queen’s Jubilee Medal” at Province House on January 20th, 2023. In the past 15 years, she has hosted over 100 foreign language students from all over the world, who come to Nova Scotia to learn English before attending university. She states, “I donated this gold medal to Kamloops Indian Residential School and that makes me proud and happy. I am truly sorry what has happened, and I want all to know that.”
