Students and staff at Winston Churchill High School sported jerseys on Thursday, for the nationwide “Jersey Day” event.
The trending event was started by a group of hockey parents in British Columbia, to show solidarity with the Humboldt Broncos bus crash victims’ families.
READ MORE: ‘Jersey Day’ for Humboldt Broncos spreads across Canada — and the world
“It’s important to us to show support to all the families of the Humboldt tragedy, and obviously support our family here at home,” said Winston Churchill High School rugby coach J.J. Ondrus.
At Churchill, students have a personal connection to Broncos defenceman and Lethbridge native Logan Boulet, and his dad, Toby Boulet, who is a rugby coach at the high school.
“Our team attended the vigil on Tuesday night and they were really proud to do that,” said Ondrus. “I think that helped particularly the Grade 12s because they would have been in Grade 9 when Logan was in Grade 12, so they did know him. And they also have been coached by Toby for four years so they know Toby really good.”
READ MORE: Vigil for Humboldt Broncos held in Lethbridge
“The kids, in general, are concerned about Toby, they’re concerned about the Boulet family as a whole,” said Winston Churchill High School rugby coach Jonathan Dick. “I know the students are feeling for him and you can tell that again by all the jerseys that are worn today, and again not just the Boulet family, but all affected by the accident.”
Watch below: Logan Boulet’s family speaks to Global News about Logan, who he was and how he was raised
The support for the Broncos could be seen throughout Lethbridge, and across the country, on Thursday.
Lethbridge transit changed its bus signs to read “Humboldt Strong” and drivers also wore jerseys.
“This incident has hit our community very hard,” Lethbridge Transit operations manager Scott Grieco said. “Especially given the fact that we have a local product that passed away.”
Watch below: A compilation of Jersey Day across Canada
Grieco has a personal connection to the Boulet family. He coached a young hockey team in 2016, with Logan as an assistant coach.
“I think everybody just wants to give back to the community and everybody in their own certain way wants to show their support for all the victims and all the victims’ families,” said Grieco.
“I feel this great sense in a community in support of the tragic incident.”
“We’re trying to be strong for the sake of the Boulets,” said Dick. “I know it’s affected everybody in our district, the school community is a very tight-knit group and it’s nice to have that support system with each other.”
Just one day, in what is sure to be only a glimmer of continued support for those affected by the Humboldt tragedy.