KINGSTON, R.I. — March 13, 2002 — Young children, high school students, older-than-average college students, URI Providence Campus faculty and staff along with members of the Rhode Island Department of Education will take part in an intergenerational healing project this month. All groups work, study, or play within the Shepard Building, located at 80 Washington St. in downtown Providence.
The divergent groups will come together on March 22 from 1 to 5 p.m. to express their feelings about the attacks of Sept. 11 by contributing a painted tile to the statewide Wall of Hope in the Paff Auditorium, located on the first floor of the building.
Organized by the Providence Chapter of the National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ), the Wall of Hope is a community building project that gives participants an opportunity to reflect upon and express feelings about the terrorist attacks. On the one-year anniversary of the tragedy — Sept. 11, 2002 — 10,000 tiles painted by people throughout Rhode Island will be unveiled as a permanent display. The structure will be a lasting memorial as well as a symbol for unity, hope and community. Tiles cost $10 each. “No one will be turned away for lack of money,” said Deborah Morelle, coordinator of URI’s Dr. Pat Feinstein Child Development Center.
Morelle said that in addition to URI faculty, staff, and students, children
from the child development center and members of their families will paint tiles. So, too, will students from the Met School, an alternative high school and members of the Rhode Island Department of Education, both located within the building.
Next month, the URI main campus in Kingston has set aside four days for community tile painting. The University expects to donate 1,000 tiles to the project.
For Information: Deborah Morelle, 277-5264, Jan Wenzel, 874-2116, Stephanie Paquette, 874-2116