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Show NEWS A3 1000 cranes: A symbol of peace By Jarom Moore Asst. News Editor The crane is considered a holy creature in Japan. The paper crane is a traditional form of Japanese origami. Ancient traditions states that if a thousand paper cranes are folded, then a crane will grant them a wish. Following the recent tragedy in Japan, the people there need any wish or piece of luck they can get. The Japanese and Korean clubs at UVU spent a week raising money and folding these cranes to send some luck and well wishes to Japan. The club folded over 6,000 cranes and let anyone that donated a dollar to write their name on the back of a crane to be part of the wish. Students in the club spent their Spring Break folding the cranes. As of Friday at deadline there was $5,511.74 donated with a check for $400 in the mail. The goal was to get a dollar from every student or a goal of $30,000 dollars. Having 1,000 real cranes fly by is an ancient show of good luck in Japan. The crane is an endangered animal, making the rarity of their appearance all the more special. "Cranes are so beautiful," said Tenkai Kawazoe, the president of the Japan Club. "We can't see 1,000 cranes in one place anymore." The cranes are folded and strung together. The club will have them folded and tied, and then hold them until they can get them over to Japan. Kawazoe said that they can't send them right now because the mail isn't really working over there, but Junko Watabe, the club advisor, will go over there in the coming months to deliver the cranes personally. Once over there they may be placed on the graves of those who have passed away or strewn across the land. This has been a tradition for thousands of years and the cranes have been created fa any reason and for any num ber of people. The uplifting spirit tha is brought from the cranes i; generally used for more per sonal reasons than the larg( tragedies. "It changes how you fee when you are sick," Kawazo( said. "It gives hope and cheer; [you] up." The story of Sadako Sasak has become the prime exam ple in Japan of the hope tha comes from the cranes. Sasaki was a twelve-year old girl that lived through th( bombing of Hiroshima. Shr started folding cranes after suffering a number of radia tion related illnesses. She never made it to 1,00( due to a lack of paper and eventually, a lack of time be fore her death. There has sine( been a statue put up of Sasak and the cranes have become symbol of peace throughou the world. The Japanese club Advisor: Junko Watabe President: Tenkai Kawazoe The Japanese club spent Spring Break folding the cranes. Members of the International Student Council including, but not limited to, members of the African club and Polynesian clubs helped at donation tables. A member of the Japanese club folds a crane, as part of the fundraiser to help those affected by the tsunami in Japan Lyndi Bone/UVU Review Donations are being sent to the Red Cross. Goals: UVU BOOKSTORE Your Campus. Your Needs. Your Store. Remember the magic of your first book? $1 for every student at UVU. $12,389 as a sub goal, or a dollar for every foot of Mt. Fuji. 6,000 cranes folded with names for their donations. Just over 1,000 cranes had names on them, as of Friday at Noon. Share the magic April 1st to April 30th Buy a book at the UVU Bookstore and donate it to First Book to promote literacy in Utah County and receive credit for UVU Library fines. Lyndi Bone/UVU Review Lives continued UVU BOOKSTORE UVU LIBRARY contact some of them," Watabe said. The coastal area around the northern city of Sendai has been especially hard hit due to its closeness to the epicenter of the offshore quake. Thus, television and other media, including lists of the dead and missing, have become ways of learning more about those who are still out of contact in that area. Watabe said that in many ways the situation brings to mind the years during the Second World War. She insists, however that everyone has to think about more than their own family. She was quick to focus on the stones of unity and selflessness that have come out, including the ongoing fundraiser. "The students, they had spring break, but they spent hours folding paper cranes ... they just didn't think about themselves," Watabe said. Young Kwak, a student from South Korea and president of the Korean Club, felt like this could be an opportunity to help rebuild bridges as well as lives, so he has been helping to collect donations. "We used to be enemies of each other, right? But even from our country, when we see this kind of thing happen, we feel really sad about it," Young said. "It's going to bring back later, you know. Whenever we have a hard time, they are going to help us out." Young said that representing his country by helping Japan is important and could help heal old wounds between Japan and South Korea. |