The meaning of handmade.
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This past Sunday we attended the “Whitby Bakes for Japan”. The event was great and raised $3200 along with over 1000 origami cranes made. We were there trying to make as many origami cranes
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as possible since OshKosh was going to donate a piece of children’s clothing for every crane. We not only achieved our goal but also surpassed it by a long shot thanks to the help of many who brought in over 300 prepared cranes before the event began. It was very powerful and touching to see so many people making these cranes to contribute to this cause, especially the kids.
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as possible since OshKosh was going to donate a piece of children’s clothing for every crane. We not only achieved our goal but also surpassed it by a long shot thanks to the help of many who brought in over 300 prepared cranes before the event began. It was very powerful and touching to see so many people making these cranes to contribute to this cause, especially the kids.
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It was great to hear guest speaker George Kourounis from “The Angry Planet” giving a presentation on what happened in Japan. It is impossible to imagine the magnitude of this tragedy.
As you can imagine there were amazing baked goods. People from the community really “stepped up to the plate” by donating all sorts of really yummy cakes, cupcakes, cookies… you name it.
I decided to go buy some of these goods before they were all gone. To my surprise, at the table among absolutely delicious confections, there were a few sock monkeys. Without even thinking, I grabbed one. From behind me somebody grabbed another and before I could take the last one somebody else grabbed it too. I held onto mine because I remembered that my 5 year old son asked me for one at a store couple of weeks ago. At the time I told him he had enough plush animals and toys, but in reality, the store sock monkey just lacked any “meaning”. I didn’t think of it at the time, but seeing a whole bunch of them sitting at a store didn’t mean anything to me. They were just more of what my son already had enough of … just a toy.
I decided to go buy some of these goods before they were all gone. To my surprise, at the table among absolutely delicious confections, there were a few sock monkeys. Without even thinking, I grabbed one. From behind me somebody grabbed another and before I could take the last one somebody else grabbed it too. I held onto mine because I remembered that my 5 year old son asked me for one at a store couple of weeks ago. At the time I told him he had enough plush animals and toys, but in reality, the store sock monkey just lacked any “meaning”. I didn’t think of it at the time, but seeing a whole bunch of them sitting at a store didn’t mean anything to me. They were just more of what my son already had enough of … just a toy.
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I went back to my table to keep making the cranes, very happy with my choice thinking of my 5 year olds’ face when he’d see his sock monkey.
At the table, the girl sitting beside me had a big grin on her face and exclaimed, “You got one! Do you like them?” I replied “Are you kidding? I love it!” Her eyes teared up and she told me, “I made them. You don’t know how happy it makes me that somebody bought it.” It was the first time she had made them.
This little monkey is now part of my family and for me, it’s not just another “toy” that is going to end up in a garage sale. Now this little monkey has a special meaning that is going to remind me of my experience, this girl and the happiness it brought her. This is exactly what originally motivated us to create this site.
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