THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, December 8, 1995 TAG: 9512060148
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAWSON MILLS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 77 lines
Angels are associated with the Christmas season, but to the 40 volunteers of the Portsmouth-based Angel Kiss Foundation Inc., they are a year-round inspiration. Angel Kiss members are gathering nightly in Norfolk to assemble holiday wreaths.
The organization was founded in 1990 by a Chesapeake physician, Dr. David A. Rosin, and his wife, Barbara, when their grandson Jarryd developed leukemia. Jarryd died just after his fifth birthday, but his memory lives on through Angel Kiss. The organization helps children with life-threatening blood diseases by assisting with non-reimbursable medical treatment expenses and promoting the National Marrow Donor Program.
Jarryd had a birthmark on his left cheek where it was said, according to volunteer Marion Bloomfield of Norfolk, he had been kissed by an angel.
A ceramic limited-edition ``angel child,'' designed by Virginia artist Rita Marlier, adorns each wreath being offered to donors of $50 or more as the foundation's holiday fund-raising project. Minouche Robinson of Foxglove in Norfolk designed the berry and ribbon decoration holding the angel. Coleman's Nursery is providing fresh balsam fir for the wreaths and PakMail of Norfolk will ship them anywhere in the continental United States.
``The Legend of the Wreath,'' written by a parent of one of the ``angel children,'' accompanies each wreath.
In the past the foundation raised funds for each individual child it supported.
``We're now trying to raise funds for children in general,'' explained Jan Maddock of Norfolk, Angel Kiss' part-time administrator. ``We're currently working with a 20-month-old boy with leukemia from Alaska who's being treated in Seattle.''
Maddock's apartment in Ghent resembles a cross between a craft shop and a nursery as approximately five volunteers a night have arrived each evening since Nov. 29 to assemble the wreaths.
Farm Fresh floral designer Ann Reitzer of Virginia Beach was among the first to volunteer. She has been working with Angel Kiss since the beginning.
``The first year we did a benefit at Coleman's Nursery,'' she recalled. ``We had an outing at the zoo and have done T-shirts. This is the first year for the wreath project.''
According to Maddock, 25 volunteers have signed up to make wreaths. Five others helped mail out brochures with order forms. Norfolk Wholesale Florist designer Virginia Kanary of Norfolk made the first six wreaths, five of which are being displayed by area merchants who are supporting the project.
``We have people coming from Hampton, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Portsmouth,'' Maddock said.
Daniel Slosek of Norfolk, an engineer with Ingersoll Dresser Pump Co., found his mechanical know-how put to the test the first night as he attempted to attach the delicate ceramic angels to the wreaths. He and the others gamely persevered and, within an hour, finished wreaths began to pile up.
As of Nov. 29, when the assembly process began, orders for 33 wreaths had been received. The deadline for ordering, originally set for Nov. 20, has been extended until Saturday.
The foundation's objective, as stated in its brochures, is to keep more little angels on earth. If the volunteers who are giving up their holiday evenings to make the wreaths have their way, there may be a few more little angels around for some time to come. MEMO: For information about Angel KissFoundation, call Jan Maddock at
533-KISS (5477).
ILLUSTRATION: Photo by DAWSON MILLS
Jan Maddock, co-administrator of Angel Kiss, checks the wreath made
by volunteer Daniel Slosek. At left, floral designer Virginia
Kanary works on another one. Twenty-five volunteers have signed up
so far, Maddock says.
by CNB