This update was prepared by Grace Fisher, Member Support Coordinator.
There are many holidays in the United States that AmeriCorps members take on as special Days of Service to their country: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Veteran’s Day, and 9/11. Members of the Hindman Settlement School ReadingCorps and MathCorps programs participated in a unique service project for the 9/11 Day of Remembrance. Members received origami paper to try their hands at crafting small paper cranes to decorate their tutoring space and share in acts of kindness with staff and students at their sites.
You may be wondering…Why paper cranes?
Origami cranes symbolize hope and healing in Japanese culture. After the tragic collapse of the towers on September 11th, many paper cranes were laid at Ground Zero. In fact, students from Japan sent thousands of paper cranes to the United States as a show of support, several of which hang in the 9/11 Memorial Museum.
Likewise, when a catastrophic tsunami struck Japan a decade after the terror attacks struck New York, the 9/11 Tribute Center gifted a statue resembling an origami crane crafted from the wreckage of the World Trade Center to the people of Japan.
Throughout the years, people have taken to folding these delicate paper cranes as a symbol of remembrance and healing after tragedy. Our members joined this long line of tradition in support of those who have suffered. With these tiny origami cranes, they have an open door to share the history and tradition of the crane with their students as they serve in rural Kentucky communities that have faced their fair share of disasters in recent history. “Connect and Serve” and “Celebrating Heritage” are two core tenets of the Settlement’s AmeriCorps programs, and this small service project was a sign and symbol of our mission.
