Monday, June 5, 2006
Bringing comfort to grieving
parents
By Carol
Chester
RECORD STAFF
SHREWSBURY— After Linda Bilodeau, of
Shrewsbury, lost her daughter, Jill, 27, in a motorcycle accident in
2001, she began looking for a way to remember all children.
Through an online newsletter written by Suzane Northrop,
author of "Everything Happens for a Reason," Bilodeau found out
about The Christmas Box Angel, a statue erected in a public place
where grieving parents may gather to remember the loss of a child.
To date, Bilodeau has raised more than half of the $25,000 needed
to bring The Christmas Box Angel to town.
"We have
about $14,000 in pledges and actual money," Bilodeau said.
Currently, 61 angel statues have been erected in this
country, including five in New England. The statues may be purchased
from The Christmas Box House International, an organization founded
by Richard Paul Evans in 1997.
The idea for the statues came
from Evans' book, "The Christmas Box," a story in which a woman
mourns the loss of her child at the base of an angel monument.
To help launch her project in December, Bilodeau, with help
from volunteer Natasha Colonero, created a Web site called The Angel
of Hope. The site includes information on the history of The
Christmas Box Angel and photos submitted by parents who have lost a
child.
"My life has been touched by a lot of people who
share the same sorrow and pain," Bilodeau said. "The angel brings us
together."
To gather support for her cause, Bilodeau has
scheduled a meeting for 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 14, at the
Shrewsbury Public Library.
The purpose of the meeting is to
report the status of the project and to let people know that The
Christmas Box Angel is an ongoing effort.
During the
meeting, a committee will be organized to plan a major fund-raising
event scheduled for November - a fashion show at Wachusett Country
Club in West Boylston.
"It's not just for bereaved parents,"
Bilodeau said. "It's for anyone who wants to participate and help
out."
Bilodeau hopes the organizational meeting this month
and fund-raising event in November will bring her a step closer to
reaching the goal of bringing The Christmas Box Angel to Central
STURBRIDGE MASSACHUSETTS.
"It will be a place to go for solace and
reflection," she said.
To make a donation, visit: http://www.theangelofhope.org/, or send mail to:
The Christmas Box Angel, Westborough Bank, P.O. Box 670, Westboro,
MA 01581.
|
|
