Hendricks County Angel of Hope

Questions about Hendricks County Angel of Hope

The novel by Richard
Paul Evans that inspired
the Angel of Hope.

What is the Angel of Hope?

In Richard Paul Evans's 1993 novel, The Christmas Box, a young couple befriends their elderly employer. They learn about the child she lost decades earlier, and of a statue she erected in her daughter's memory in a nearby cemetery. The statue depicts a winged, childlike angel, with arms outstretched to Heaven.

After the novel's publication (and adaptation into a movie), grieving parents from throughout the U.S. traveled to Salt Lake City in hopes of seeing the Angel statue. Author Evans approached sculptors Ortho and Jared Fairbanks and asked them to design a new statue for the cemetery. Since then, identical Angels have appeared throughout the nation as places where parents who have lost children come to mourn and reach out to their own "little angels." To date, 73 Angels have been placed throughout the nation. Every December 6, the Angels serve as sites for vigils at which those children may be remembered.

What is Hendricks County of Angel of Hope?

Hendricks County Angel of Hope, Inc. is an independent, non-profit Indiana corporation that brought an Angel of Hope statue to the Town Hall Park in Avon, Indiana. We now help to provide for the perpetual maintenance of the statue, and coordinate local participation in the annual December 6 vigil.

Where is Hendricks County's Angel of Hope statue?

You'll find our Angel in Town Hall Park in Avon, which is approximately 30 minutes west of downtown Indianapolis. Town Hall Park is located on the north side of U.S. 36, less than half a mile west of Indiana Route 267. The Angel is located at the west edge of the park, just northwest of the dam. There is a small bridge off the trail.

Is Hendricks County Angel of Hope a 501(c)(3) non-profit?

Yes! The IRS has approved our federal 501(c)(3) status, so contributions to our organization are deductible from federal income taxes to the extent allowed by law.

Who are the people behind the organization?

Our president is Roberta (Bobbi) Gray, our vice president is Andrea Dayharsh, and our secretary/treasurer is Deanna Decoursey. Other board members include Sarah Bean (event planner), Beverly Johnston (videographer), Scott Flood (media relations), Amanda Strong, and Kelly Meissner. Mark Meyerholtz of Banning Engineering is our site designer.

How can I become involved?

Visit our Contacts page and let us know of your interest.

If the statue is in place, why are you still raising funds?

Three reasons. First, we have not yet completed the site for the Angel. In addition to landscaping, we plan to install features that will bring additional beauty to the site and make visitors more comfortable. Second, we will help provide for the ongoing maintenance of the site (as well as administrative costs for things such as maintaining this website). Finally, we will coordinate each year's December 6 vigil, and will need funds for supplies, refreshments, and similar costs. All funds raised for the Angel are used to support our statue and site.

Where may I find a copy of The Christmas Box?

The novel is available at most large bookstores, local libraries, or through online booksellers such as Amazon. We do not have copies for sale. It is a heartwarming, simple tale of parental love and the everyday miracles that often escape our notice, and the book has been a source of solace for many parents who have lost children.