Jan. 6, 1988
The Sundre Elementary Library was housing more than 1,500 cranes of all sizes and colours. According to Grade 6 student Jennifer Sharp, they were folded paper cranes, which around the world had become symbolic of peace and hope to those who would resist the ever-present threat of nuclear war. Jennifer’s teacher, Mr. Mike Kapiczowski, said that his Grade 6B class had been studying a unit on world peace and the students wondered what they could do to promote that objective. Following much research and discussion, the children decided to make paper cranes for world peace and mail them to Japan where they could be placed on the memorial in Hiroshima’s Peace Park for Children’s Day in May. Every year on Children’s Day, the memorial is covered with blizzards of cranes, brought by children from all over Japan who mourn the atom bomb’s victims and vow to join the hibakusha survivors of the atomic attack in building a world that will choose the path of peace. Engraved at the foot of the memorial, in the midst of the paper cranes, are the following words: “This is our cry, this is our prayer: To establish peace in the World.”
Jan. 1, 2008
About 120 people from Sundre and the surrounding area came out for the fifth annual Community Christmas Dinner at the West Country Centre, with a record amount of donations collected from guests. There was no charge for the meals, although donations were accepted. A little more than $600 was raised, up from the previous year’s total of about $400. “I think this event is extremely important for the community,” said Barb Rock, an organizer. “People are appreciative that there is something they can go to on Christmas. They don’t have to worry about being home alone. One lady told me that it’s just the loneliest day if you don’t have anything to do. Christmas Day can be the loneliest time, so she was just so happy to go.” The dinner was not just for the less fortunate, but also to provide “a place for people to go,” she said. About 30 volunteers helped out, including drivers who delivered 18 meals for people in town and in the county. Additionally, some of the food was donated by three local businesses, with other items purchased courtesy of the money raised the year before. A group of local musicians also showed up to play some Christmas songs. “They were spontaneous volunteers. They just knew about it and brought their guitars down and played,” said Rock.
