Roy Wilcox Elementary recently took part in a meaningful opportunity to show their support for the Recovery of Japan.
The support project was initiated by Ms. Karen Ting, the kindergarten teacher who is from Hong Kong.
Along with staff and students, Ms. Ting took up the challenge of making 1,000 cranes for the Natural Disaster in Japan that would be presented, in person, to the Japanese Consulate on April 8.
An ancient Japanese legend promises that anyone who folds a thousand origami cranes will be granted a wish by a crane, such as long life or recovery from illness or injury.
The crane in Japan is one of the mystical or holy creatures (others include the dragon and the tortoise) and is said to live for a thousand years.
In Japan, it is commonly said that folding 1,000 paper origami cranes makes a person’s wish come true.
Ms. Ting runs the Origami Club every Tuesday in her classroom and all classes and staff participated at some level to help complete the project and to show their empathy.
In addition to the wish of recovery, Roy Wilcox collected donations with two lunch-time basketball games of staff vs. students, and a local business donated more than 120 ice creams to support the fund raiser.
On Friday, April 8, Ms. Ting presented the completed cranes in person to Mr. Ito of the Japanese Consulate in Vancouver, along with the school’s donation of $600 and $100 in private donations.
Mr. Ito was very grateful and impressed that 1,000 cranes flew from down from the Northwest.