[Vision2020] Student Calls for Community's Help With Paper Cranes

[Saundra Lund]

For those who are looking for a wonderful craft to do for a greater good,
check out:
http://www.klewtv.com/news/132295533.html

Student Calls for Community's Help With Paper Cranes

Story Published: Oct 21, 2011 at 11:36 PM PDT   Story Updated: Oct 21, 2011
at 11:36 PM PDT

MOSCOW, ID - A Moscow High School senior created an organization to give the
healing power of 1000 paper cranes to the terminally ill.
 
They come in different colors and sizes dominating the entire space in the
classroom and Jasper LaFortune wants to see more of it.

Ever since the 17-year-old started Wish Cranes a month ago, hundreds of
origami paper cranes came pouring in.

"I don't think there's been a day since this started that something about
Wish Cranes hasn't astonish me," said LaFortune.

His inspiration for this project was his father, who passed away from brain
cancer in 2010. During his final months, he received a box from elementary
school students in Colorado. Inside were 1000 paper cranes. 

Jasper said that gesture made a big impact on his father. Now he wants to
share that generosity with others.

"This is Jasper's approach to the world, how can I be useful, how can I use
my talent, how can I bring people together for good purposes," said Gretchen
Wissner, a gifted education facilitator at Moscow High School.

It takes about five minutes to fold one paper crane. Jasper wants to make
100,000 by winter break and he's asking for the community's help to reach
his goal.

"Just five minutes a day, that little thought they will completely change
someone's life around," said LaFortune.

Jasper says the 100,000 paper cranes are just the first milestone. He wants
to continue this for years hoping to keep his father's memory alive.

"It's a little different each day what comes to mind but I think I'm proud
to see what his legacy is," said LaFortune.

You can drop off your paper cranes at several locations: Moscow High School,
Bank of Whitman in Pullman and at the U of I Women's Center. 

For more information on how you can help organize a group of donors, email
Jasper at wish.cranes.foundation at gmail.com.
_________________________

For those interested in learning how to fold the cranes, check out:
http://monkey.org/~aidan/origami/crane/crane1.html

And, this YouTube tutorial is pretty darn good:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSijU52XJ7w


Saundra