An angelic gift that will keep giving
<p>Jackson Costa, 19, cuts out an angel wing from a stencil Tuesday in his shop at his Hayden home.</p>
A heavenly gift inspired by a Hayden teen’s love for some dear friends has sparked a philanthropic effort to make life easier for families of kids with disabilities.
Earlier this year, Jackson Costa, a 19-year-old metal fabricator, designed a piece he titled “Teagan’s Guardian Angel.” Teagan, now 17 months old, is the child of family friends, Josh and Kelsey Bartoo.
“Their daughter was born with a few disabilities that make her life a little bit difficult. Her lifespan is expected to be a little shorter. She has a lot of health issues,” Costa said. “When she was diagnosed, I wanted to do something special for their family, so I came up with something that was unique — so I made the first angel.”
Costa presented the sheet metal angel — with curved wings, a handful of flowers and a garden gazing globe head — to the Bartoos and did not plan to make another. This was Teagan’s special guardian angel.
“My intent was to show how much love my family and I have for Teagan and her family,” Costa wrote on his business website, www.costafabrication.com.
But people who saw Teagan’s celestial metal being started calling Costa and asking for their own angels. They wanted to pay for them.
Costa decided to produce the angels, and he had a plan so their sale would still be beneficial to Teagan. He sat down with the Bartoos and made a proposal.
“They said they didn’t want any of the money. They didn’t want anything to go to them because they’ve been so fortunate with family and friends that support them,” Costa said.
Instead, Costa partnered with the Bartoos to create a foundation called “Teagan’s Angels.” The profit from each of the angels sold, about $100, will be used to benefit other families in the community with children with disabilities.
It will be Teagan’s legacy, Costa said.
It takes Costa about eight hours to complete the metal work for each angel, and another two or three hours to finish it. Each one is slightly different. Costa has made 16 angels so far.
“I figure everyone can use a guardian angel,” he said.
One of Teagan’s Angels will be among the auction items up for bid Saturday at the 3Cs (Cancer and Community Charities) Fall Fest Hoedown fundraiser taking place from 6-9 p.m. at the Best Western Plus Coeur d’Alene Inn, 506 W. Appleway.
Tickets are $45. The price includes a buffet dinner plus two drink tickets for either wine or beer. Dress is cowboy casual.
Entertainment will be provided by the Blazen Divaz theatrical group and Justin Sherfey, a national junior fiddler champion. Hors d’oeuvres will also be provided.
There will be live and silent auctions, a wine and liquor raffle and a 50/50 raffle.
For reservations, call 773-4909 or send an email to mtsaunders1@roadrunner.com.