Paper Gifts Wrapped With Love

There are 1,000 ways to send your love and support.

Youngsters gathered at the Thursday, July 7, to make a few of them.

Haruo Shiga, an art instructor for more than 20 years, led a program to teach youngsters how to make origami cranes.

His goal is to send 1,000 of these cranes, all made by area youngsters, to young people in Japan who have been affected by the tsunami and earthquake in March.

The traditional origami crane symbolizes honor, loyalty and peace. Shiga hopes that when the young people in Japan receive them, they will feel the love of fellow youngsters half a world away.

“We want to remind them that they were not forgotten,’’ he said.

He is offering programs in several area libraries this summer, including Shrewsbury, Rutland, Sutton and Princeton, to teach children to create the cranes and to add to the gift package.

“I think it’s a really nice’’ thing to do, said Charlotte Flionis. “We’ve had a fun time doing it.’’