U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan has asked local residents to fold paper cranes.  When Houlahan was in Japan recently, she visited peace memorials in Hiroshima featuring thousands of handmade origami cranes. ” I was reminded of the book ‘Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes,’ ” she said, which is one girl’s story of the devastation of nuclear war. According to Japanese legend a wish will be granted when a thousand cranes are made.

Houlahan will be sending the paper cranes made by her constituents to Hiroshima for the G7 Summit, where the leaders of the seven largest industrialized democracies meet. Her goal is to remind the leaders how much we here in PA value world peace and a world free of nuclear threat.

As part of its Earth Day celebration on April 22, the West Chester Green Team will offer an origami workshop led by Reiko Yoshida, WCU graduate and professor of Japanese at Temple University.

Reiko has commented, “Each of us may not have enough power to change anything significantly, but when we stand together, I believe, we can bring peace to the world. To begin our journey, we can learn what happened to Sadako and many others who have been affected by wars.”

Her workshop is part of the Green Team’s Earth Day Green Fair to be held at 2 pm at the Unitarian Congregation, 501 S High Street.  This event is appropriate for children from 4th grade, as well as adults.  All are welcome and the activity is free. Activities are for all ages including information booths on green topics, food by the WC Cooperative, planting activities, storytelling and crafts.