Snowflakes for Sandy Hook in Swampscott

A town employee is asking residents and fellow town employees to join the Snowflakes for Sandy Hook initiative.

The effort was designed by the Connecticut Parent Teacher Student Association and asks people to make paper snowflakes for children of Sandy Hook Elementary School, said Swampscott Treasurer and Information Technology Director Denise Dembkoski.

"The hope is when these children go back to school in a few weeks, to offer them an escape from the horror of Friday, December 14th by transforming the new facility into a winter wonderland with snowflakes from all over the world," said the IT director.

The director had been seeking a way to lend emotional support to the school children when she came upon the Connecticut school group's website on Tuesday night.

She asks residents and employees to join this effort for those whose lives were forever changed by the shootings.

"(The snowflake) may be simple or elaborate, plain or decorated, offer words of support or be absent of words," she said. "Let’s take a few minutes out of our day to show the people of Newtown and the children of Sandy Hook that the Town of Swampscott has them in our thoughts."

There is a drop box for the snowflakes at Town Hall.

On Jan. 7, the town treasurer will send the snowflakes to the Connecticut PTSA with a note on behalf of the Town of Swampscott.

To create a paper snowflake, follow these steps:

1.      Begin with a square piece of paper.

2.      Fold the square diagonally to make a triangle.

3.      Fold it in half again to make a smaller triangle.

4.      Imagine the triangle in thirds, and fold the right third over.

5.      Now fold the left third over.

6.      Cut off the top of the paper (not the pointed end) at an angle. Make sure to cut if off so that all remaining layers of paper are equal. Cutting at an angle is what makes the points of the snowflake.

7.      Begin cutting away from the sides of the paper. Usually, cutting small triangles from the sides is easiest, but don't forget to try other shapes.

8.      Unfold the paper to reveal your snowflake.

For more information, contact the town treasurer:

Denise M. Dembkoski

Treasurer/Collector

Director of Information & Technology

Town of Swampscott

22 Monument Avenue

Swampscott, MA 01907

781-596-8852

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