▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁author , ▁teacher , ▁artist ▁and ▁community ▁activ ist ▁Del v ina ▁Bernard , ▁whose ▁father ▁had ▁grown ▁up ▁in ▁the ▁home , ▁contributed ▁a ▁piece ▁of ▁wood ▁from ▁the ▁building ▁to ▁the ▁Six ▁String ▁Nation ▁project . ▁Part s ▁of ▁that ▁material ▁are ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁finger ▁bra ce ▁and ▁a ▁rein for cing ▁strip ▁on ▁the ▁interior ▁of ▁Vo y age ur , ▁the ▁guitar ▁at ▁the ▁heart ▁of ▁the ▁project . ▁ ▁Ap ology ▁An ▁official ▁ap ology ▁was ▁made ▁in ▁the ▁provincial ▁legisl ature ▁by ▁the ▁Premier ▁to ▁the ▁former ▁residents ▁and ▁community ▁leaders ▁of ▁the ▁Nova ▁Scot ia ▁Home ▁for ▁Col ored ▁Children . ▁Premier ▁Stephen ▁Mc Ne ill ▁apolog ised ▁for ▁the ▁mist re at ment , ▁mental , ▁psych ological ▁and ▁sexual ▁ab use ▁inf lic ted ▁on ▁the ▁or ph ans ▁by ▁staff ▁members ▁for ▁almost ▁a ▁ 5 0 - year ▁period . ▁This ▁ab use ▁was ▁dis cont in ued ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s . ▁Mc Ne il ▁noted ▁that ▁this ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁hor r ific ▁events ▁that ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁province ▁and ▁the ▁c ries ▁of ▁the ▁people ▁fell ▁on ▁de af ▁ears ▁for ▁so ▁long . ▁Mc Ne il ▁also ▁noted ▁that ▁he ▁is ▁thank ful ▁to ▁the ▁former ▁residents ▁for ▁their ▁courage ▁and ▁ability ▁to ▁share ▁their ▁stories ▁and ▁bring ▁aw aren ess ▁and ▁insp iration ▁to ▁other ▁African ▁Nova ▁Scot ia ▁communities , ▁and ▁all