Umbrellas For Peace
Artist Matt Lamb Marches in Parade with Students
by Debra Lynch
The Art and Culture Commission (A&CC) has been serving the Lemont community since 2004. Each year the Art and Culture Commission sponsors a community art activity to enhance the artistic and cultural climate in Lemont.The community art project this year is the Lamb Umbrellas For Peace Project. This exciting project was first done at the Pentagon after September 11, to help the children whose lives had been effected work through their grief. Since then the project has been done in 16 countries with over 500,000 participants. Students at Central School and River Valley School, and the New Agers (Seniors) painted Umbrellas For Peace during the month of March. The students from the two schools proudly showed their umbrellas off as they participated in a parade on April 9th, which was attended and lead by the artist and originator Matt Lamb.
Each student and staff member (roughly 1,000) painted an umbrella with symbols of peace, love and understanding. Art teacher, Jean Dorrance discussed the project with the students and lead discussions in diversity and tolerance. Students at both schools learned the song, Put a Little Love in Your Heart during music class. As the students walked the parade route they sang and proudly showed off their painted umbrellas.
For more information on the Lamb Umbrellas for Peace Project please visit http://www.the-lamb-umbrellas-for-peace.org/english/index.htm.
In the upcoming months the Art Commission will also be offering opportunities for community members to paint Lamb Umbrellas for
Peace at MB Bank and the Lemont Park District. All participants will be invited to participate in the Keepataw Day Parade on September 7, 2009.
A HUGE thank you to Meg Crowell, The Art Commission and Jean Dorrance who helped organize this event!
Click on the arrow below to view a movie of the event. Thanks to Tracy Simon for creating it!
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