BLOSSOM FEST 2011

For the past few weeks, I've been folding Origami Tulips for BLOSSOM AT RICHMOND CENTRE.

This was our last weekend to donate the folded florals. We brought 130 to the mall on Good Friday, and yesterday we brought another 50. How I managed to fold another 50, overnight, is a bit of a mystery to me. It would seem I get some origami Zen.

From what I understand, staff were staying last night to take down the display and count the wishes / origami tulips. For each wish (which one would write on the origami paper prior to folding), Richmond Centre will donate $1 to the Children's Wish Foundation (up to $10K).

The tree was FULL of origami tulips. Every time we tried to hang any, some would fall off and we would spend just as much time re-hanging those that had fallen. You can't really tell from this picture, but the tree was very dense with folded tulips. The mall had added wires that looked like branches to accommodate the obvious constant flow of folded donations.

The pictures just don't do justice to show how many origami tulips were there!

This is Weeb, standing at the base of the tree. It gives you some idea of how many tulips were overflowing from the tree.

Thanks for your patience, Weeb. We don't need to bring any more bags of origami to the mall, and I don't need to take a million pictures of you and the tulips / tree. Not for a year or so, anyways. And thanks to the staff at the Customer Service Desk, who smiled every time we showed up with our bags of origami!

March 19, 2011 - We went to the mall and each did a page; 3 origami tulips.

April 01, 2011 - April Fool's Day we donated another 33 origami tulips.

April 10, 2011 - We went to the mall and donated another 34.

April 16, 2011 - We took a big bag to the mall and donated 130 origami tulips.

April 22, 2011 - Another 101 donated. Plus an origami crane.

April 23, 2011 - I folded 50 over night and donated our last batch for 2011. This brought our total to 351 folded origami tulips!

I hope Richmond Centre reached their 10,000 Origami Tulip goal. I'm hoping they post the final count on their Facebook page, soon.

ORIGAMI TULIPS

I haven't been feeling well this week, so I had lots of time to fold Origami Tulips. Seemed the perfect thing to do while I was out of commission. The result was a donation of 130 Origami Tulips to Richmond Centre Mall's Wishing Tree.

This temporary display is up until the day before Easter. The origami sheets are free at Customer Service. For everyone one you put up on the tree, Richmond Centre will donate a dollar to The Children's Wish Foundation.

My thanks to the lovely lady at the Customer Service counter who has been helping us put stems onto our folded flowers, and tying them into bundles for us to hang up.

This is what 130 Origami Tulips look like.

This is what Wonko looks like as he hangs up said 130 Origami Tulips. He was kind enough to hang a bundle up for a nice 'short' family, who were very thankful.

So our last drop off will be next Saturday. Not sure how many I'll have done by then, but it'll be nowhere near 130, I'm certain. I'm not that bothered; I'd say we've done our fair share.

I'll try to get a decent shot of the tree next week.

MORE BLOOMS AT RICHMOND CENTRE

We've been bringing more Origami Tulips to the mall to add to the Wishing Tree. We've been doing this since the middle of March. We did 3 that first day, then added another 33. Today we added another 34.

See: Blossom at Richmond Centre and Blossoms Galore posts.

The lady at the counter has been very cool about helping us put stems on the tulips and winding them together, then we go hang them on the tree. I wonder how many we'll have donated before they take down the display and count all the paper flowers. They (Customer Service) tells me that they really are going to count them all!

There is still lots of time to do some folding and donate to this wonderful charity. The origami sheets are FREE at Customer Service in Richmond Centre Mall. I'm told we can keep donating until the Saturday before Easter.

BLOSSOMS GALORE

A couple of weeks ago, I posted about Blossom at Richmond Centre. For every origami tulip that is made, Richmond Centre will donate a dollar to the Children's Wish Foundation. I like origami. We took our second batch (yes, batch) of origami tulips to the mall today. Add another $33 to the donation!

Okay, the flowers behind Weeb in this picture are fake, but with a face this cute, who can tell?

BLOSSOM AT RICHMOND CENTRE

I'd heard that there was some kind of Origami event going on at a mall not too far from us, so we went to take a look today.

BLOSSOM AT RICHMOND CENTRE

Thursday, February 24 - Saturday, April 23

Inside Richmond Centre, spring has come early in a BIG way! "Blossom at Richmond Centre" is an indoor tribute to a spring of epic proportions. You won't believe your eyes when you take in a sea of living flowers, a bamboo forest, the wooden bridge and a traditional Wishing Tree. What do you attach to the Wishing Tree? Your wish, folded into a flower of course!

Write your wish, fold it up and add it to the tree.

Pick up our special "blossom" paper at our Customer Care Centre. Or if you prefer, download a copy from the Richmond Centre facebook page. There you will also find a video showing you how to fold the flower.

For every wish that gets attached to our Flowering Wishing Tree, we will donate $1 to the Children's Wish Foundation* -- a very worthy cause that grants a favourite wish for children afflicted with a high risk, life-threatening illness.

There is a belief that a concentration of positive wishes will increase the likelihood of a wish coming true. So, please be sure to bring your wish to Richmond Centre and attach it to our Flowering Wishing Tree and make your and a child's wish come true.

We made our three wishes, folded our Origami Tulips and hung them on the wishing tree. Here's hoping our wishes come true!