In this Monday, Dec. 24, 2012 photo, Joy Manning, neighbor of program coordinator Gala Thompson, sorts some of the hundreds of paper hearts received as part of the Paper Hearts Across America program, in Billings, Mont. The goal of Paper Hearts Across America is to collect nearly 19 million paper hearts, the estimated amount it would take to stretch a chain of hearts from Billings to Newtown, Conn. Thompson tells the Billings Gazette her family started Paper Hearts Across America as a way to discuss the Sandy Hook Elementary shootings where 26 people were killed Dec. 14. (AP Photo/The Billings Gazette, Larry Mayer)
In this Monday, Dec. 24, 2012 photo, Joy Manning, neighbor of program coordinator Gala Thompson, sorts some of the hundreds of paper hearts received as part of the Paper Hearts Across America program, in Billings, Mont. The goal of Paper Hearts Across America is to collect nearly 19 million paper hearts, the estimated amount it would take to stretch a chain of hearts from Billings to Newtown, Conn. Thompson tells the Billings Gazette her family started Paper Hearts Across America as a way to discuss the Sandy Hook Elementary shootings where 26 people were killed Dec. 14. (AP Photo/The Billings Gazette, Larry Mayer)
In this Monday, Dec. 24, 2012 photo, a table is set up in front of the home of Joy Manning, neighbor of program coordinator Gala Thompson, so passersby can write on paper hearts for the Paper Hearts Across America program, in Billings, Mont. The goal of Paper Hearts Across America is to collect nearly 19 million paper hearts, the estimated amount it would take to stretch a chain of hearts from Billings to Newtown, Conn. Thompson tells the Billings Gazette her family started Paper Hearts Across America as a way to discuss the Sandy Hook Elementary shootings where 26 people were killed Dec. 14. (AP Photo/The Billings Gazette, Larry Mayer)
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) ? It started as a way for one Montana family to talk discuss the tragic school shooting of 26 children and adults. Now it's blossoming into an international movement to build a chain of handmade paper hearts to stretch nearly all the way across the nation.
Gala Thompson and her family's Paper Hearts Across America estimate it would take about 19 million small paper hearts to connect Billings, Mont., to Newtown, Conn. They're hoping to gather that many hearts so they can deliver them to the residents of Newtown and show them there's still good in the world.
And the response is growing, with more than 10,000 decorated hearts already sent from as far away as China and Australia, the Billings Gazette reported (http://bit.ly/UmsVfd ).
"It's gone above and beyond what we hoped, really, from the first day," Thompson said. "I was thinking the first 500 hearts we got, that was great. But now, it's grown on its own."
The project is in response to the Dec. 14 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown. A gunman killed his mother before opening fire at the school, killing 20 children and six adults. He then killed himself.
Word about Paper Hearts Across America spread through news reports and a Facebook page ? which contains a template for the hearts ? and contributions have come from nearly every state.
People are sending boxes of the hearts to Broadwater Elementary in Billings, which agreed to be a collection point until the group reaches its goal. School officials are hanging the hearts in hallways until they're sent to Connecticut.
"The hearts come in boxes and boxes and we all just get so excited," Thompson said. "We've been able to cover the whole inside of one of the school buildings and we're moving to the other one now."
Thompson said she wants people to know that it's not just a project for school kids. She wants universities, families, businesses, hospitals and others to get involved.
"Hopefully, Newtown will be flattered by this gesture and about how many people are compassionate and kind," she said. "There's more kindness in the world than there is hate, and that's what this is all about to begin with."
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Information from: Billings Gazette, http://www.billingsgazette.com
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