PAM COTTREL
COMMENTARY
Even though that huge earthquake and tsunami in Japan happened thousands of miles away, the disaster has touched the hearts of more than one person here.
More than once we’ve found ourselves wishing we could just jump in the car and drive there to help. Now that the nuclear problem has complicated and intensified the chaos, we feel even more frustrated by our inability to help.
While donations seem to be our only way to help, one group has found a different way to help.
The Teen Advisory Board and librarian Maggie Bollar at the New Carlisle Public Library held an origami peace crane folding last Friday afternoon.
When Bollar sent out the original appeal for helpers with the project, she wrote, “I’d like to let people make origami peace cranes as a way of showing our thoughts and prayers for the people of Japan.”
The group was inspired by the book “Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes” by Eleanor Coerr.
The book tells of a Hiroshima survivor who tried to fold 1,000 cranes to earn a legendary wish.
The teens felt that it seemed appropriate to make as many cranes as they could for the Japanese people facing new nuclear challenges in addition to the devastating earthquake and tsunami.
Library volunteer Ethan Reynolds was excited about finding a way to help and to collect money for aid. The Tecumseh graduate and Wright State University student was one of a dozen young volunteers who taught visitors how to fold the intricate cranes.
“Step by step, fold by fold,” is how library patron Virginia Cox described learning how to make the cranes. She enjoyed it so much she asked for help finding a book on origami so she could learn more.
“I think it was a very worthwhile thing for the library to do,” she said.
Funds collected at the crane folding will be sent on to help in Japan, and the colorful cranes will remain on display in the library to remind people of the need to help others.
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