I was watching CNN this morning as the kids were scurrying to get ready for school. I was still lying in bed with my eyes glued to the TV, unable to pull myself away from all the horrors that unfolded as a result of the earthquake in Japan. My nine-year-old son, Miles, wanders in and I noticed he has tears in his eyes. He begins to explain how tsunamis are triggered by the movement of plates under the ocean. Even though he seemed fully educated on the subject, I could tell it was hard for him to talk about what he had learned in class. I asked him if he was sad about what’s going on over there and he nodded his head. I kept thinking that when something’s gotten me down; I find ways to do something about it. I wanted to give my son license to do the same. So, I said, “Miles, would you like to do something for the people of Japan?” He said, “What can I do, mom?” And, then I said, “You love making things like paper airplanes and origami. I bet we can find a way to raise money from that”. Miles, fully confident that “his work” could sell, looked at me and said, “I want all the money I make go to Japan”. So that’s how big a kid’s heart is and also how a kid’s cause is formed. Within hours he designed a logo, we set-up a Facebook page, and lined-up his teacher, classmates, and a local reporter to help us raise some money. While initially, we didn’t have any real, concrete plans, we did have an idea: Have a kid do something for others by doing things he’s passionate about. Miles loves to build things from rockets to Zomes and Lego’s. He loves to make things too. He’s constantly researching things to build or make. With the help and support of the people who love him, we will certainly raise some money to send to Miles’ charity of choice, Save the Children.
(After I wrote this post, Miles has garnered the support of his classmates and his teacher to help him raise money for Japan. Miles now has a goal to sell product with his logo on it, sell artwork crafted by American children expressing their feelings about Japan, and to increase awareness about A Paper Project to Aid Japan through his various paper-making online tutorials. The Ventura County Star is running a piece on Miles’ story and Hello Neighbor TV visited his classroom. Please check out his progress and his cause, A Paper Project to Aid Japan).
3/31/11 Article in the Ventura County Star. http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/mar/30/images-from-japan-inspire-camarillo-boy-to-help/
Buy logoed merchandise here: http://www.cafepress.com/TheBigPaperPlaneTsunamiSave
A multi-disciplinary creative, always creating. 