People from Around the World Coming Together

In 1999, my husband and I, along with several ‘top notch’ local champions – including our current MPP (Vic Fedeli) – submitted a proposal for Millenium Funds from the Federal Gov’t in Canada for a project we originally called The Smiles Puzzle- intended to be the world’s Largest Jigsaw Puzzle.   In short, people from across the country could print off a blank 8 inch by 8-inch puzzle piece from the website (www.thebigpuzzle.com) and encouraged to paste a photo of themselves/family, draw a picture on it or submit a short story/poem about their community and/or country (ie. Canada).

Unfortunately, we did not get the funding but we decided to do it on our own anyway.  After our first media release, we were overwhelmed with requests for interviews from media outlets worldwide.  We began receiving puzzle pieces from people around the world… over time (approx. 8 years later) we received over 20,000 pieces of creative art, stories.   My favourites were pieces with origami art from Japan and a montage of an MC Escher artwork from a middle school in Northern Ontario (that covered my living room floor when I pieced it all together.   It ultimately became a chronological ‘snapshot’ of events happening worldwide- many from youth around the world about Y2K, 9/11, elections, the 2006 Indonesian Tsunami, and much MUCH more…

In 2009, even though my basement was still filling with more and more puzzle pieces, we regretfully had to let the domain go, but people kept sending them in and, thanks to Canada Post who held them in boxes for us, we continued to get many more for years later.

It’s now 2021, and I’m moving out of our house and have no idea what to do with these boxes and BOXES of these incredible historical snapshots and memories into life at the beginning and post-millennium.   I cannot fathom throwing them all away.  They are likely a world record breaker or two on their own.  At the very least, one very large piece of artwork.

So, I reach out to you for your attention to my dilemma.  Perhaps tweak the interest of a group who may want to preserve or even showcase them.  If you have any interest…or suggestions to who may be interested in the awesome good news story about people from around the world coming together to be part of this one-of-a-kind adventure,  PLEASE CONTACT ME.  

Cheers!

~Janice Cole

Callander, Ontario CANADA

jmkc007@hotmail.ca