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The Message in A Bottle project is a grass-roots effort to recognize the exemplary effort of our armed forces in current conflicts abroad. The United States has over 100,000 active military troops deployed to combat in Afghanistan and many thousands more protecting American interests abroad. Many of us never take the opportunity to give a simple thanks to these dedicated and courageous men and women and their families.

A message in a bottle symbolizes hope. It is a simple personal message. We are asking that each participant write 5 words on a slip of paper that expresses a thought, a feeling, or simply a thank you to the troops. Insert this message in a dry water bottle, cap it, and place in a designated receptacle located throughout the city. The bottles with their messages are collected and processed. The words are recorded, analyzed for repetition, and posted to the home page of this site, displaying a collective message from all the people.

The bottles are brought to a location in downtown Jacksonville, FL, and made into an installation sculpture to be viewed and enjoyed by the public. The park is passed by thousands of cars each day. We hope that our project can raise the awareness of our military’s service to our country, and that others may be inspired to communicate their personal messages.

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FAQs

Please note, this project is now closed.

What is the due date for all the bottle? Our unveiling is planned for May 2, 2012 during Art Walk. We need all bottles by March 21 if they are to be included in the wall. Will will of course try to get everyone’s bottle added.

Do you take just water bottles?  Juice and sports drink bottles are fine as long as they are rinsed out thoroughly.

What size bottles are ok?  8, 12, 16, 20, and 24 ox bottles are fine, anything smaller or larger cannot be used.

What do I write the message on?  A slip of paper or cut a piece from an index card. Use a ballpoint pen or something waterproof.

Can I write more than 5 words?  Please limit your message to 5 words.

Can I include anything else in the bottle?  You can write a prayer or personal note as long as the 5 words are clearly visible from the outside of the bottle. Only the 5 words will be recorded.

Where do I take my bottle when I am done?  We have several collection locations set up around town (see Drop Off Locations). If you have at least 100 we will come pick them up.

Can I submit more than one bottle?  Yes.

Does the bottle really have to be dry?  Please shake out as much water as you can, it’s ok if there is still some moisture in there. If you leave your bottle uncapped for a few days it will dry out.

Can I get a group together to do this?  Yes, please do. Gather your friends and family to write messages and create bottles. We need everyone’s participation.

What happens to the bottles after they are collected?  They are taken to one location where we record the 5 words and prepare the bottles for the wall.

How many bottles are you collecting?  as many as we can, probably 10,000 or more

Do you guys need money? Who is paying for this?  This project is self-funded by the artist and donations of materials by generous companies. All of the work is by volunteers.

How often are the web site and the word cloud updated?  Every few days.

When will you start building the wall?  The wall construction has started and you can view our progress on the blog or come by to visit us at Studio 121 downtown (121 W. Forsyth Street, between Adams and Hogan).

Where exactly is the wall located?  Main Street Park, on Main Street between Adams and Monroe.

Who will build it?  The artist and his assistants.

How long will the wall be up?  Until after Memorial Day.

What are you going to do with the bottles when you are done?  The artwork will be retained by the artist.

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