A third annual origami fundraiser, presented by the Black Ink, a shop at 101 Charles St. specializing in paper goods, in partnership with Garden Street resident Gregory W. Skaff to benefit St. Francis House, has been extended through October, while Skaff will be offering a free origami demonstration Thursday, Oct. 14, at the West End Branch Library.
During September, Black Ink distributed 11 Origami bulls designed by Stephen Weber and folded by Skaff to those who made a contribution of $25 or more to raise a total of $375 for the day shelter (excluding matching donations).
As of press time, 12 more (four black, one white, one gold, two silver, and three brown) origami bulls are available at Black Ink, also for a donation of $25 or more to St. Francis House.
Additionally, a Stephan Weber Bull, a Hideo Kamatsu Horse, a Noboru Miyajima Bat, and the Jason Ku Convertible, as well as a Jun Maekawa Peacock and a Three Headed Crane – all of which Skaff created on Sunday, Sept. 26, during a five-hour origami folding demonstration he held at Black Ink Boston with just three-days notice – are also now available for contributions of $25 or more to St. Francis House.
For the same donation, four Hideo Kamatsu tan-colored origami horses from a different folding by Skaff are also available, and all models were folded with specialty Origami Paper from France
(Black Ink only accepts cash donation for the origami pieces, however, as they aren’t store inventory.)
The St. Francis House origami fundraiser is part of an ongoing effort by Black Ink owner, Susan Corcoran, who regularly holds origami fundraiser at the store for various nonprofits, such as Community Servings, Rosie’s Place, Food for Free, BARCC (Boston Area Rape Crisis Center) and Partners in Health, while personally matching each donation made to the cause.
Skaff and Corcoran partnered on their first annual origami fundraiser to benefit St. Francis House in September of 2019 after Skaff, who had acquired an origami star folded by Corcoran for a fundraiser at Black Ink, stopped by the store to thank her for helping to rekindle his interest in the artform following a 37-year lull.
Their first origami fundraiser in September of 2019 raised around $350 for St. Francis House while their effort in the fall of 2020 went to raise another $794 for the cause.
For those who would like to learn more about the artform, Skaff will be offering an origami demonstration on Thursday, Oct. 14, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the West End Branch of the Boston Public Library at 151 Cambridge St.
Depending on the ages and abilities of participants in attendance, Skaff will offer an origami demonstration of a bull or a bat with a detailed explanation of the folding technique and Q&A, or an instructional. Participants will also likely fold the Jun Maekawa three-headed crane, said Skaff, who will come prepared with traditional 9.75- by- 9.75-inch Kami Paper.
All interested parties must be 18 or older to attend, and face covering will be required for the event, which is limited to 20 participants, first come, first served.
R.S.V.P. before Monday, Oct. 11, via a sign-up sheet at the library., which includes a section on participants’ origami abilities, as well as an option to their email address to stay informed.