Located in a quiet, garden setting, Blanchette Park, St. Charles, Missouri is home to the National Share Office Angel of Hope. The angel’s face is that of a child, its arms raised as a child waiting to be lifted. In its wing is inscribed the word, Hope. The Angel of Hope, an exact replica of the Christmas Box Angel statue, located in Salt Lake City, Utah, stands as a symbol of hope for all parents who have experienced the death of a child.
To honour our children’s memories, memorial bricks are being placed around the base of the Angel of Hope statue with separate walkways extending in various directions from the base of the statue. The statue and surrounding area are intended to be a place of peace and healing for all bereaved parents.
The memorial bricks are placed around the Angel of Hope twice a year in a brick dedication ceremony, held in April, before Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, and in November, in time for the holiday season.
New Walkway Dedicated
There is also a new St. Louis Cardinals Care Walkway, dedicated at the Angel of Hope statue in September 2005. This walkway was made possible because of a generous grant from the St. Louis Cardinals’ Care and was also partially funded by Richards Brick and RES-COM Construction. The Angel of Hope monument was dedicated in October 1998 and 1000 bricks were placed around its base for bereaved families to memorialize their deceased children. Brick placement services have been held each spring and fall since the monument’s dedication. The amount of available memorial brick space for families around the angel had become less, so it was determined a new walkway needed to be constructed. With a grant donation from Cardinals Care, decreased labour and material costs from RES-COM and Richard’s Brick this became a reality. The walkway is a beautiful pathway to the Angel of Hope which is visited every hour of every day. The dedication ceremony was very meaningful with a few words from Cathi Lammert, our executive director, a reading, We Remember Them and the song, My Name by internationally known country singer, George Canyon.
Annual Candlelight Vigil
Every December 6, a candlelight vigil is held at all Angel Monuments around the country. The vigil is a wonderful remembrance of children who have died and is held during the holiday season, which can be a difficult time for bereaved families and friends. This touching service is very well attended and is a very moving memorial. It is traditional to bring a white rose to leave at the base of the Angel.
How to Purchase a Memorial Brick
Memorial bricks for the National Share Office Angel may be purchased for a $100.00 donation. All bricks are 4 x 8 inches, with three lines available for engraving – 15 characters per line, including spacing. All engraving is done in upper case letters. Along with purchasing a permanent memorial for your child, you will receive a certificate of ownership. Bricks will continue to be sold on a space-available basis and added to the walkway. Orders for Spring placement must be received by March 20 and orders for Fall placement must be received by September 20. The funds collected from the sale of the memorial bricks are used for the installation of the walkway and the upkeep of the statue and surrounding area.
Directions to Blanchette Park:
- From Highway 70 in St. Charles, exit 5th Street North.
- Go several miles down 5th Street, past St. Joseph Health Center and St. Charles Borromeo Church.
- At Randolph (which is a 4-way stop sign), turn left. Follow Randolph to Blanchette Park (there is a flower shop across the street).
- The second entrance has a parking lot nearest the Angel Monument.