Organ donation changes and saves lives—up to eight, to be exact, from one person's donation. For Green Shirt Day 2022, Canadians are encouraged to register as organ donors and wear green to mark their support for organ donation.
This year, Green Shirt Day is accompanied by a new logo inspired by the Logan Boulet Effect and the Humboldt Broncos, created by University of Lethbridge alumnus Joshua Wong (BFA - New Media/BMgt ’20).
The logo features two ribbons, one green and one yellow, intertwined with the words “Logan Boulet Effect” and “Humboldt Strong” on them. The ribbons in the logo feature several geometric shapes within them, something that Joshua made after watching a video with the Humboldt Broncos pastor, which inspired him to create a stained glass design after stained glass windows in churches.
“The design has abstract elements. The different shades of green represent freshness, renewal and affirmation of life and the idea that communities are together strong. The yellow represents the people that were affected by the Humboldt bus crash itself. For every shape that's in the yellow, it represents each individual that was affected,” Joshua says.
“My hope is that the different shades represent different communities. The angled white lines in the green ribbon are inspired by pictures of the hockey stick that Logan Boulet had, with a more direct reference to him with the number 27 on the ribbon.”
Toby Boulet (BEd '89, MEd '04) says he likes the new logo a lot and has received positive comments on its design.
“It replicates Logan's ribbons, which I like, and I like that the Humboldt Broncos are still recognized prominently in the logo. I think it speaks to people. Register, be inspired and tell your family. If you want to think about Logan, think about the Logan Boulet Effect, and the Humboldt Broncos,” Toby says.
The Logan Boulet Effect is a movement that emerged after the catastrophic bus crash involving the Humboldt Broncos hockey team in Saskatchewan in 2018. The Logan Boulet Effect is inspired by Logan Boulet’s decision to register as an organ donor prior to his passing, and it encourages Canadians and individuals around the world to register as organ donors.
Nearly 150,000 Canadians registered to become organ donors in the days and weeks following the crash, spurring the creation of Green Shirt Day to continue the momentum and honour the victims and families of the crash.
This year, organizers with Green Shirt Day decided to redesign their logo and at Toby’s suggestion, ran the contest through the University of Lethbridge.
“Bernie (BEd ’88) and I both have degrees from there. Mariko (BSc ’17) has a degree from there and Logan was accepted there. I'm a Senator there right now, and I managed the Pronghorns Women’s Rugby team for 20 years. So, we're very connected to ULethbridge and if we're going to try a contest, we're going to go to the University. We set it up with the Department of New Media in the Faculty of Fine Arts, and we included a $750 award for the winning design.”
Joshua says he had never entered a contest like this before, so he figured he would go all in and put his full design effort into the submission. “If it works, it works. If it doesn't, then at least I got something my portfolio,” he says.
Joshua got an added bonus with his win in the contest—he was offered a contract with Green Shirt Day for more design work, helping him build his professional portfolio further.
“Going through this process with Green Shirt Day is a real learning experience for me and I feel lucky. Through the collaboration, I have gotten more experience than I thought I would have when I entered this contest.”
Toby says more than 2,100 Green Shirts have been ordered just for the Lethbridge area alone, as schools, the fire department and Lethbridge Transit staff all don green on April 7. He adds that the organization’s goal is to redesign the logo every few years.
“The Boulets feel every one or two years would be a wonderful chance and opportunity to change the logo, have a new design and bring freshness to the cause. Organ donation renews, and you’re almost recycling in a way,” he adds.
Anyone can be a potential organ donor regardless of age, medical condition, or sexual orientation. You can mark Green Shirt Day on April 7 by wearing green and by signing up to be an organ donor. You can get your official green shirt here. In Alberta, the registration process for organ donation is done completely online through the Organ and Tissue Donation Registry.