Inspired by the book, "Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes" by Eleanor Coerr, Woodbury teacher Ruth Heide led 16 students on a lunchtime mission to fold paper cranes. Heide's parents---Shaker residents Pearl and Fred Livingstone---traveled to Japan with 693 origami cranes in tow last month. The couple promised Heide they would scatter the cranes around the Children's Peace Monument at Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima.
But when the Livingstones arrived at the Monument, they were told the cranes had to be strung. The couple's tour group was kind enough to step in and help them string the cranes. Thanks to the international community effort, the Woodbury cranes for peace are now flying proudly (and beautfully strung) in Hiroshima.