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BILLINGS, Mont. -- It started as a way for one Montana family to talk about the tragic school shooting of 26 children and adults. Now it's blossoming into an international movement to build a chain of handmade paper hearts to stretch almost across the country.
Gala Thompson and her family's Paper Hearts Across America estimate it would take about 19 million small paper hearts to connect Billings, Mont., to Newtown, Conn. They're hoping to gather that many hearts so they can deliver them to the residents of Newtown and show them there's still good in the world.
"It's gone above and beyond what we hoped, really, from the first day," Thompson said. "I was thinking the first 500 hearts we got, that was great. But now, it's grown on its own."
Thompson told The Associated Press that organizers will send a first shipment of 10,000 hearts – each linked to another and with its own personal message – later this week or early next week. Thirty hearts already have been hand-delivered to the editor of the Newtown Bee, she said Wednesday.
Overwhelmed Newtown officials have asked people to stop sending gifts, but Thompson said Paper Hearts across America is going through the YMCA in neighboring Danbury and should not tax Newtown's strained resources.
The group will then send incremental shipments as the hearts come in, all the while tracking the progress toward the goal of 18,965,000.
That's the number of 6- to 8-inch hearts Thompson's husband calculated it would take to stretch the more than 2,000 miles from Billings to Newtown.
"I feel that this will go through and we will make the 18,965,000," Thompson said.
The project was launched in response to the Dec. 14 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown. A gunman killed his mother before opening fire at the school, killing 20 children and six adults. He then killed himself.
Word about Paper Hearts Across America has spread through news reports and the group's Facebook page – which contains a template for the hearts – and contributions have come from nearly every state.
People are sending boxes of the hearts to Broadwater Elementary in Billings, which agreed to be a collection point until the group reaches its goal. School officials are hanging the hearts in hallways until they're sent to Connecticut.
"The hearts come in boxes and boxes, and we all just get so excited," Thompson said. "We've been able to cover the whole inside of one of the school buildings and we're moving to the other one now."
Thompson said she wants people to know that it's not just a project for school kids. She wants universities, families, businesses, hospitals and others to get involved.
"Hopefully, Newtown will be flattered by this gesture and about how many people are compassionate and kind," she said. "There's more kindness in the world than there is hate, and that's what this is all about to begin with."
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Categorize “like” cables into piles. You may be able to use one toilet paper storage roll for more than one cord or charger if they're small enough.
Determine if all the relevant cables/cords can be stored safely inside a toilet paper roll. In some cases, the cord will be too long, thick or oversized and won’t fit inside the toilet paper roll. In some cases, it isn't going to be a good idea to bend or flex the cord to fit.
2Find a suitable box to house the cables. While in many cases a shoebox will work perfectly, if you have a multitude of cables, you might need a larger box. The size of the box will also be affected by where you intend to place it, such as on or behind the desk, on a shelf, etc.Choose a strong box in excellent condition. If you cannot find a decent box, consider purchasing a Tupperware bin or small storage box. It needs to be durable and strong.
Stock up on toilet paper rolls. Ask family members to keep the cardboard roll––simply provide a bin or hang a bag on the back of the bathroom door where you can collect the rolls. It may take a few weeks to build up an adequate supply unless you're already hoarding the rolls for craft purposes.
Only keep toilet paper rolls that are in good condition. Throw away crushed or ripped ones, as they won't work.
3Arrange the toilet paper rolls inside the box. Try the simple approach first, of lining them up side by side. Depending on the shape of the box, you may need to angle some of the rolls or move them around a bit to fit properly. Experiment with what works best.
Glue the toilet paper rolls down to the bottom of the box. Alternatively, bunch them together and bind with tape. Either way, you’ll need to find a way to secure the rolls inside the box. Depending on the size and number of empty rolls, choose a system that will keep them in place (either through tape or glue).
If the box is large enough, it's a good idea to designate an extra "free space" area that will hold those cords that are too big to fit inside the toilet paper rolls. For example, if there is space, set aside a small area alongside the box wall to lay longer cords on the side––block off the area with a piece of cardboard in order to keep the toilet paper rolls in place. (It will be stronger if the card is glued in place but you won't be able to shift it to enlarge or decrease the space once glued.)
4Place the cords and cables inside the toilet paper rolls and box. Shift and move the rolls around as needed, to accommodate the cords.Where possible, try stuffing in two (or more) like-cords in the same toilet paper roll. By categorizing the same type cords together, they're easier to find and space is conserved.
Fiddle a bit to find the optimal organizational flow. You may find you keep rearranging things to make it easier to access the most-used cords, cables and chargers; rearrange until you're satisfied with how it works, then stick to the pattern you've created.
5Decide how you will store the box. The box isn't the star of the show, it's just a functional item. Place it out of sight if possible (or decorate it if you want it on show). It's a really good idea to place a lid on it if possible, as this will prevent any build-up of dust and fluff.
6Finished. Enjoy being able to quickly access your cords and cables from the one spot.
Edit TipsConsider decorating the box and toilet paper rolls to make this storage system prettier or more attractive, especially if it will be housed in plain sight.For quick access and identification, write the cord/cable name on a strip of cardstock paper and glue it to the tip of the toilet paper roll. The little plastic tabs off bread and roll packaging make ideal labels for cords too.Edit Things You'll NeedToilet paper rolls, as many as you have cordsA suitable small to medium storage box - shoebox, cardboard, plastic, whatever works for you; a lid really helps too (make one if there isn't one)ScissorsGlueCords, cables, chargers, etc. in need of organizingEdit Related wikiHowsHow to Make a Wall OrganizerHow to Make a Paper Tissue Flower BouquetArticle Info Featured Article
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2Fold the flattened roll in half. Then rotate and fold it in half the other way. After the folds, the roll should be folded into thirds across its circumference. See the figure for details.
3Align the scissors horizontally with the height of the cylinder (as shown in figure).
