ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Saturday, April 6, 1996                TAG: 9604080094
SECTION: CURRENT                  PAGE: NRV2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG 

FUND ESTABLISHED FOR KNOWLES CHILDREN

The rush to help Angie Knowles' children after she died of a shotgun wound March 20 will ebb as most good causes do.

But Knowles' friends want to ensure that the support continues to flow.

She will never again be able to shower praise on a child - especially her own four - as she did famously, said local teacher Kym Helms, but Helms and other friends have vowed to take up where Knowles was forced to leave off.

They have opened their homes and their hearts to John-Michael, a junior at James Madison University; Vanessa, a Christiansburg High School senior; Dylan, a ninth-grader; and Ryan, a seventh-grader.

They are also circulating a letter to gather annual donations for the children. (See coupon below.)

Helms, a Christiansburg Elementary School teacher, said the adversity has brought the community together for this common cause.

``Although adversity is an abominable understatement, I have seen a bond develop between the people of this town; a togetherness born of pain, but destined to heal,'' Helms said.

The pain began when Knowles' was shot to death in her home. Her estranged husband has been charged with her murder.

When Angie Knowles died, the community lost a resource few can match. She once belonged to four parent-teacher associations, coached soccer, softball and Tee-ball; helped organize choral trips to New York City and ran a day-care.

Karen Hughes of Blacksburg helped throw a going away party for Knowles when she had to take a full-time job in Roanoke and give up her day-care.

Knowles gave each child a goodbye letter.

``You will never know the pride I feel every time my eyes look at you, and see this beautiful, confident, young woman.'' Knowles wrote in the March 1 letter to one of Hughes' daughters.

Hughes said that was just the way Knowles was, and her positive attitude never waned.

Helms said the community has earned its highest marks for caring with its generous response and asks that its caring not wane either.

"We are truly the village that raises every child. It is our turn to give back to the Knowles children a small token of appreciation for the many things their mother gave to us," she said.

LENGTH: Short :   49 lines
ILLUSTRATION: GRAPHIC:  coupon for donation to fund.