Mary Gibson had a

novel idea. Charles Adams had the "legs" to make it go.

Together they have created a keepsake that "means more than words can say."

Gibson is the chairperson of the 2003 Pike County Relay for Life

campaign and she was searching for new fundraising ideas. After all, the goal for this year's Relay for Life campaign is the loftiest ever at $203,000.

That's a very ambitious goal, but, if history repeats itself, Pike Countians will come through with flying purple colors, Gibson said.

"We have a large number of teams and they are all excited about Relay and committed to reaching our goal," Gibson said. "But, new ideas add to the interest and excitement and I was trying to come up with something different and meaningful. I had the idea of a Relay for Life angel and I immediately thought of Charles."

Adams is a stained glass artist widely known for his angels. Gibson and her daughter are collectors

of Adams' angels and she approached him about creating a special angel for Relay for Life.

Because different colored ribbons have become symbols of several causes, Adams suggested putting a head and wings on a ribbon. Gibson liked the idea and the Relay for Life Angel was born.

Adams agreed to donate a portion of each sale to Relay for Life, giving meaning and purpose to each creation.

"The ribbon body of the angel can be either purple or pink," Gibson said. "Pike ribbons are used by the American Cancer Society to designate breast cancer survivors. Purple is the color that represents the American Cancer Society."

To date, 70-something angels have been purchased with $10 of each purchase going to Relay for Life.

"That's more than $700 and we're still a month away from our Relay for Life event," Gibson said.

"Some people are buying the angels as gifts for cancer survivors and other are buying the angels as memorials for those who lost their battles. The angels are very special ways to support or remember family members or friends whose lives have been directly affected by cancer. They also make wonderful gifts for caregivers and loved ones."

The angel can be made for hanging or on a stand.

This fundraiser is being done a little differently from most others. Rather than raising money for a team of his own, Adams is donating

$10 of each purchase to the Relay for Life team of the buyer's choice.

"Those who are on Relay teams and buy an angel can make a donation to their own team," Adams said. "Those who don't have a team in mind can either choose a team or make their donation to Relay."

Other communities have inquired about the Relay for Life angels but Adams and Gibson agreed that this is "a Pike County thing."

The Relay for Life Angels are $35 for the hanging angels and $38 for those on stands. Ten dollars of that amount is a donation to the American Cancer Society.

The deadline for ordering the angels is May 12 and they must be picked up by May 14 in order for the donations to be counted toward the 2003 Relay for Life goal.

To order call Adams Glass Studio at 735-2143 or stop by the studio on U.S. Highway 231 four miles south of Troy.