Tie a blue ribbon

“Everyone has been feeling very helpless about the horrible crisis unfolding every day with the devastating oil spill,” said the school’s reading teacher, Lorraine Donlon. “Our older students, who follow the nightly news and read the newspaper, have expressed grief over the death of wild life.”

When the students started asking, “What can we do?” Donlon said that she initially didn’t have a good response. It seems all the grown ups in charge have absolutely no idea how to fix this, she said, and it has created a “sense of despair in all of us.”

After speaking with Dr. Gay Bradshaw of the Kerulos Center (www. kerulos.org), Donlon, who is also a board member at the center, related that the oil spill has had a horrible impact on all the sea life in this region. Their mission, as described on their web site, is to put new science and earth ethics into practice to create an earth-centered society and achieve animal self-determination within one generation.

To bring attention to the oil spill issue, students in the after school program at Centre Avenue have spelled out “SAVE OUR SEA LIFE” on the chain link fence outside the school. They tied blue ribbons under the words to represent life and clean water.

  “It would be great if all of our neighbors in East Rockaway [could] put a blue ribbon on their front door of their home to show allegiance and support for the all animals who have been killed and lost their homes.”

  “It’s a very tangible way for everyone to unite around this problem and bear witness to this  catastrophe,” said Donlon.” At least it’s something we can all do — and maybe the idea will spread all over.”

Comments about this story? Mmalloy@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 202.