Press release from WAKUWAKU Eatery:
WAKUWAKU Eatery, the Japanese home-style restaurant (674 Merrimon Ave, Asheville, NC 28804),will donate 1,000 origami cranes to the Mission Children’s Hospital on the 24th of June.
After opening in North Asheville on May 11th, 2018, WAKUWAKU Eatery started folding 1,000 cranes on November 20th, 2018 and completed the first projecton May 26th, 2019. Their customers helped them to fold cranes while they were waiting for their meals or after they finished. Some customers brought in the cranes that they folded at home and then dropped theminto the donation box at the restaurant. Each crane was folded with their wish that the children, especially those fighting serious illness, will get well quickly.
In ancient Japanese customs, it is promised that for anyone who folds a thousand origami cranes, God will fulfill their wishes. The story tells of happiness and eternal good fortune given to you, not just a single wish, such as longevity or recovery from illness or injury.
Naomi Mikami, the owner of WAKUWAKU Eatery suffered from ITP (idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura) at the age of five and survived it. She wantedto return the favor she received from her doctors, nurses, family, friends, neighbors, teachers, and others. She started thinking about how she could help otherswho are fighting serious illness at young age.
Having completed the first 1,000 cranes, she contacted Mission Children’s Hospital, which was recommended by Range Urgent Care, located behind WAKUWAKU Eatery in the same building. Mission Children’s Hospital agreed to receive the cranes from them.
They will continue to fold the next 1,000 cranes to donate to other facilities. Please contact waku2eatery@gmail.com or 828-424-7891 for more information.
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