Iraq Peace Crane Memorial going to DC

From Mary Burton Riseley (Gila Monthly Meeting) 

May 5, 

Dear Friends,  

Below please find a message sent out recently by Friend Vickie Aldrich from Las Cruces Meeting.  

I want to warmly second her request for your and your meeting's support for the costs of taking to Washington, DC this moving Iraq Memorial begun by Vickie and her family over four years and thousands of deaths ago.  One never knows about the effectiveness of these actions, but I feel in my heart that taking this Memorial to the place where the decision to begin and continue this tragic war, and displaying the cranes and biographical information on each soldier on the day our country has set aside to honor the dead of previous wars can only be good work.  We will actually be two days directly in front of the Capitol, and on Monday near the Washington Monument on Constitution Avenue, the route of the "official" Memorial Day Parade.  

I hope you will feel moved to respond, and thank you in advance for your dollars and your prayers.  (Any extra money we receive will be given to IMYM for activities supporting peace. We have friends and family with whom to stay along the route, so gas and food will be our only expenses.)  

Much love and all the best, mary burton riseley

****************************************************

From Vickie Aldrich (Las Cruces Monthly Meeting) 

Subject: Iraq Peace Crane Memorial going to DC 

Dear Friends

The Iraq Peace Crane Memorial is going to Washington DC for Memorial Day weekend!  Mary Burton Riseley and I have just heard that we have a permit for all three days of the weekend to set up near the Washington Memorial, a friendly woman at the park service adopted our cause and found us a great spot.  Las Cruces Friends have helped to update the wall and also have given me a traveling minute with their support.  We are accepting donations toward this Peace Adventure, to help cover the cost of gasoline. 

If you or your Meeting feels moved to donate, write checks to Las Cruces Friends Meeting,PO Box 1240, Mesilla Park, NM 88047.  For more info you can call me (Vickie) at 575-541-9093. (emphasis added by webclerk) 

The Peace Crane Memorial was started in 2004 by our family.  We have made a paper origami peace crane for each US military death in Iraq; these are posted on black foam boards along with the name and information of each individual.  Yes, there are over 4,000 paper cranes.  The memorial is now 110 panels and would stretch the length of a football field if laid end to end.

Thanks for all of your support,

Vickie Aldrich