Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Memory Box for Justin's Parents

I wrote a few weeks ago about a book of letters that I was making for Justin's parents of his friends' and teachers' memories and/or reflections about the wonder that was Justin De Young. A few of asked how it turned out and even more of you were great to listen as I tried to figure out to best present this collection of thoughts.

The project was a bit of an adventure as the majority of the people I was working with were teenagers whose concept of deadlines is a little hazy. That aside, it truly was a privilege to witness the outpouring of love and willingness to contribute that so many had. I couldn't find an acceptable binder/album/folder that felt right for the letters, and making a bound book was out of the question because the entries came in right up to the day that I mailed the project to Justin's parents. I decided on a box because I wasn't limited in the amount of letters I could include, and then the De Youngs could add things if they so desired.
The pictures I took of the box aren't great, but it shows how it turned out. The lid of the box is the one with the photo collage. The background behind the pictures are portions of people's letters.

The box was delivered to the De Youngs' on what would have been Justin's 20th birthday. So glad I was able to work on this box for them, and so glad that I was able to know such a great kid.

ps. Did you know Facebook will block you from sending messages if you send too many in a short period of time? I found that out while contacting kids and teachers about the project. I was blocked for three days because Facebook thought I was spamming people. I was less than thrilled at the time, but now I think it's kinda funny.

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