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Community Corner

Point Boro and Point Beach Businesses Donate to Relief Effort for Japan

Businesses and area school team up to help Japan

Point Pleasant Boro and Point Pleasant Beach businesses contributed to a recent donation of more than $2,100 toward relief efforts in Japan.

The donation was sent to Save the Children for the Japan Earthquake/Tsunami Relief Fund, established in the wake of the natural disasters in March.

Aimee LaPatta and Sheena MacClaren, co-owners of  Plethora Boutique, and Sharon Murphy of Idiosyncrazies, both of which are in Point Boro, and Shoana Terra-Nova of Rockn' Joe Coffeehouse, Point Beach, developed an idea for children to create origami cranes.

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The women conjured up the idea after uncovering an ancient Japanese legend that promises the granting of a wish for folding 1,000 cranes.

Engaging some of their local business brethren in the effort, and enlisting the children of Bay Head Elementary School to produce the cranes, “Tomodachi for Japan” (translated as “Friends” for Japan) was born.

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Eight businesses served as the main sponsors, contributing the paper supplies and organizing the event.

These include Plethora, Idiosyncrazies, A Lil’ Something, and Petal Street Flower Company, all located in the boro, and Rockn’ Joe Coffeehouse and The Sand Box in Point Beach and  Curtis’ Central Market and The Bee, both in Bay Head.

Pledge donations were collected at the eight businesses, as well as the three local branches of Manasquan Savings Bank.

The Point Pleasant Rotary Club made a sizable donation, and the Bay Head School students solicited their friends and families for donations.

Most donations were one-time contributions of a specific dollar amount, regardless of how many cranes the children were able to fold.

Fastsigns of Brick contributed the “Tomadachi for Japan” banner and a large scroll the students signed with their wishes for the children of Japan.

Point Boro resident Lisa Commette also was instrumental in organizing efforts.

On April 13, approximately 30 students made the cranes after school. With the help of the sponsoring business owners, they were able to create 1,077 paper cranes and raise $2,068.

The organizers became aware of a concurrent program sponsored by OshKosh, the children's clothing company.

For every crane brought into an OshKosh store or sent to the corporate headquarters by April 25, the company donated an article of clothing to the Japanese relief efforts.

A photograph of the cranes created during the “Tomodachi for Japan” event was forwarded to OshKosh, so the participants were responsible for the donation of more than one thousand clothing items to the children of Japan.

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