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Come 'Pour A Cup' to Create the Longest Paper River in the World!

Violet_Z6
13 years ago

Public Invited to Help Create Longest Paper River in the World

Saturday, October. 16, 2010

Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park in Springfield, Mo., will soon be the site of what could possibly be the longest paper river in the world.

On Oct. 16, 2010, environmental paper artist Shirah Miriam"Mimi" Aumann invites the public to create "River of Life: Bread of Life," a community-based collaborative environmental art installation, from 9 a.m. until6 p.m. in the 114-acre public park and arboretum at 2400 S. Scenic Ave. across from Horton Smith Golf Course.

The free all-day event, supported by Friends of the Garden,will take place during the grand opening week of the Springfield-Greene CountyBotanical Center,Oct. 11-17.

Although visitors may participate at their convenience on a come-and-go basis, Aumann urges attendance at the ceremonial official "first pour" at 9 a.m. by Botanical Center Coordinator Katie Steinhoff and Friends of the Garden President George Deatz.**The Central High School Green Team has volunteered to assist at the event.*

In the past few weeks, Aumann has worked with area schools and organizations to collect paper to be shredded, pulped and pigmented blue with non-toxic color.

"The organic winter wheat seeds, known as the bread of life,will be embedded into the recycled paper pulp at the last minute to prevent premature germination," said Aumann. Participants will pour the blue pulp from pitchers and buckets to form a meandering, river-like path from the rain garden toward Lake Drummond. Instructional signs and "mile markers" will be placed along the "river," noting the length at certain points, which is expected to be approximately 500 feet long.

"As the papers break down and bio-degrade back to the earth,the seeds will germinate and produce a lovely winter wheat river, gently blowing in the breezes and evolving with the seasons," explained Aumann. "And the public can return again and again to the park to see the results of their volunteer work."

Envisioned by Aumann as "a collaboration with the community and mother nature, the strong message of the installation is on the issues and concerns of the day in which we live and how these affect all generations. It's about recycling and the preservation and conservation of the quality of our waterways."

A Branson West resident and fiber artist and one of 600 volunteer members of Friends of the Garden, Aumann has taught hand-paper making for years. The organization, which helped raise funds to build the Botanical Center, creates and maintains 22 gardens and has plans to add 23 more.

Compliments of Friends of the Garden

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