{"id":671,"date":"2019-07-17T18:18:38","date_gmt":"2019-07-17T18:18:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wcsu.wpengine.com\/news-archives\/my-wish-to-you\/"},"modified":"2019-07-17T18:18:38","modified_gmt":"2019-07-17T18:18:38","slug":"my-wish-to-you","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/news-archives\/my-wish-to-you\/","title":{"rendered":"WCSU 2016 – My Wish to You exhibit"},"content":{"rendered":"
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DANBURY, CONN. <\/strong>\u2014 The Western Connecticut State University<\/a> Department of Art<\/a> will host an origami sculpture exhibit to benefit St. Jude\u2019s Children\u2019s Hospital<\/a> next month in the lobby of the Visual & Performing Arts Center<\/a> (VPAC) on the university\u2019s Westside campus, 43 Lake Ave. Extension in Danbury.<\/p>\n

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\u201cMy Wish to You\u201d goes on display at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2016<\/strong>, followed by a small reception. The work will remain on view through Wednesday, Nov. 30. The exhibit is free and open to the public, although donations are encouraged.<\/p>\n

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The display will feature more than 10,000 origami cranes meticulously handcrafted by WCSU business student Nghiep K. Luu, who emigrated from Vietnam to the U.S. in 1998. Luu\u2019s goal is to raise $10,000 for St. Jude\u2019s Children\u2019s Hospital through small donations made by patrons of the exhibit.<\/p>\n

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Inspired by a gift given to his sister as a child, Luu began folding paper and eventually became proficient in the ancient Chinese art form of origami. <\/p>\n

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\u201cOrigami is a passion,\u201d Luu said. \u201cI want to make something meaningful and make a piece to inspire others to give back to the community.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Luu\u2019s inspiration for this sculpture is based on the story \u201cSadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes,\u201d which stated, \u201cAnyone who folds a thousand cranes will be granted a wish.\u201d Luu\u2019s wish is for children everywhere to have access to quality medical care. <\/p>\n

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After his son was born prematurely, Luu was exposed to the Natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Danbury Hospital. He was profoundly altered by this experience.<\/p>\n

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Luu said as his son was being hospitalized he began to understand the helplessness parents feel when they watch their children suffer. This inspired him to want to help others who were experiencing a fate worse than his own. <\/p>\n

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Luu\u2019s plan is for the sculpture exhibit to move around the Danbury region, raising awareness and money for St. Jude\u2019s Children\u2019s Hospital.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe can either do something to help out, or we can walk away,\u201d Luu said. \u201cI chose to do the former.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Donations can be made to St. Jude\u2019s Children\u2019s Hospital through Luu\u2019s cause here.<\/a><\/p>\n

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For a glimpse of Luu\u2019s work, follow him on Instagram @Nkluuorigami.<\/p>\n

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Western Connecticut State University offers outstanding faculty in a range of quality academic programs. Our diverse university community provides students an enriching and supportive environment that takes advantage of the unique cultural offerings of Western Connecticut and New York. Our vision: To be an affordable public university with the characteristics of New England\u2019s best small private universities.<\/em><\/p>\n

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