Emiko Knowlton wanted to find a way to help the people of Japan following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that caused so much loss of life and destruction.

Knowlton said her friend Laura Fournier from Mill Creek created a project and posted it on Facebook, “A Thousand Paper Cranes for Japan.” The idea caught on with Knowlton and her friends.

Knowlton, of Kent, said the idea is each origami peace crane represents a life lost in the earthquake or tsunami.

“In Japan putting 1,000 cranes together can be given as a gift symbolizing a wish come true,” Knowlton said. “This is a way for us to send a message to Japan (that) we are thinking about them.”

Knowlton contacted Lori Nevin, owner of Urbia Fresh Café in Kent, and she agreed to host the Saturday event at the coffee shop. Nevin also agreed to give 10 percent of the proceeds from the Saturday event to the charitable organization Global Giving.

Knowlton said the goal was to fold 1,000 cranes from the Kent community.

“It’s a way for the people to feel like we are helping out,” Knowlton said. “We wanted all sizes and colors‚ as diverse as the lives that were lost.”

Knowlton said the cranes will be sent to a community center or school in Japan.

“This is good for people who are strapped financially and want to do something,” Knowlton said.

Nevin sent an e-mail following the event stating the final count of peace cranes from Saturday was 1,588 and more than $100 was collected from donations by the customers, staff and from 10 percent of the sales.