PAPER CRANES FOR PEACE

Altrusa Service Group Helps The Hills Clients Create Positive Image

By Alison Stucke

Young clients at The Hills Youth and Family Services completed a reading and art project focusing on peace last fall. As a result, the facility’s cafeteria was decorated with 1,300 paper cranes symbolizing peace, and a mural displaying the word “peace” in more than 40 languages from around the world.

The Hills offers day treatment, community programs available to youths in the local area, as well as residential services to youths from throughout Minnesota. Their program helps adolescent boys and girls through a philosophy of youth empowerment.

Reading The Book

Every young person in the residential program read the book “Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes” as a first step in this project. Funding came in part from Altrusa International Club of Duluth, a service organization with 38 women as members. The club helped every step of the way to make the project happen. Money also was raised by The Hills clients who wrapped gifts at Barnes & Noble to purchase a copy of the book for each client.

“It is the story of Sadako Sasaki, a young Japanese girl from Hiroshima who died of leukemia at the age of 12, 10 years after the atom bomb dropping there,” explained Mary Cowen, who served as executive assistant and volunteer program manager at The Hills. “After she got sick, she began an attempt to fold 1,000 paper cranes in order to make a wish that she would be well. Sadako dies of leukemia, but her classmates come together to raise money to build a statue in her honor with the inscription, ‘This is our cry, this is our prayer; peace in the world,’ and the origami crane became a symbol of peace.”

The book was selected based on the recommendation of The Hills’ Chaplain Terese Tomenek.

“Every week in chapel, we begin by setting an altar with symbols of many different faith traditions: a Bible, a Quran, candles and more,” Terese said. “A young man had created a beautiful origami crane for the altar. I thought of how we could expand on that symbol of grace and peace. I hoped by reading it together, we could foster a feeling of hope and a sense of community, much as in the book.”

“This book led to meaningful conversations about forgiveness, peace, hope and courage,” Mary said.

Creating The Art

The boys and girls made more than 1,000 paper cranes to hang as mobiles in the cafeteria of their residence.

“Students were very excited to make paper cranes after reading the book,” Mary said. “We hung them all from the ceiling in our cafeteria. The cafeteria is a place where all of the groups spend time, so everyone will be able to admire their collective effort.” continued on page 10 continued from page 9

The colorful cranes hang above diners, reminding them daily of peace, hope and caring.

To end the project, artist Clare Cooley and her son, Bodhi, helped the youths stencil in gold paint a large paper mural with the word “peace” in 40 languages from around the world, as well as images of cranes, feathers. This mural also now hangs in their dining hall.

“With the help of many volunteers, especially Claire Cooley and her son, Bodhi, we transformed the cafeteria at The Hills into a glorious place of bright color and the promise of hope with a mural and 1,300 paper cranes,” Mary said.

ALTRUSA’S WORK AT THE HILLS

Altrusa — whose mission is to serve and support local needs, especially those related to literacy — is very excited about their partnership with The Hills in this fabulous reading and art project. But it’s not the club’s first reading project there. For the past several years, Altrusa has purchased a book and participated in discussions for an annual reading club for girls at The Hills. The crane reading project involved both girls and boys.

“I’ve been involved with several book clubs and know through personal experience how reading and sharing ideas have enriched my life,” said Barbara Fischer, a member of Altrusa and chairwoman of the project. “I became aware of Woodland Hills through my husband’s involvement there as a volunteer, and I thought this may be a good avenue to encourage young women to read. I believe that Altrusa has accomplished that and more, and our members have been positive female role models.”

Mary Bowen of The Hills agreed that Altrusa’s work there has been valuable.

“We at Woodland Hills have been inspired by the great conversations that have come out of our girls groups’ book clubs, sponsored annually by Altrusa, to incorporate volunteer-led book clubs into boys groups as well,” Mary said. “I feel so blessed to have been able to be a part of the great work that Woodland Hills does and the amazing generosity and support from the Altrusa Club of Duluth — you are truly an amazing group of women!”

Alison Stucke is a freelance writer and frequent contributor to Duluth.com.