DAPHNE, Ala. — Wings fluttered and tears fell during a Calling All Angels fundraiser luncheon on Wednesday, when the 30-member-and-growing group brainstormed ideas to raise money for pediatric hospice care.

Mercy Medical has teamed up with the Eastern Shore Art Center in Fairhope to raise art awareness — and angel appreciation — along with donations. The “angel” refers to people, living or dead, who helped someone in their time of need.

“Calling All Angels is the financial background of pediatric hospice care … since Medicare only pays about 16 percent (of incurred nursing costs),” Amanda Manning, pediatric specialist at Mercy Medical, said. “We served approximately 150 children last year with skilled-nurse visits costing $168 per child.”

The dollars add up, which is why the group asks artists — and anyone inspired by everyday “angels” — to share their stories and artistic talents, such as paintings and sculptures.

Art work will be displayed at the Eastern Shore Art Center in Fairhope from Nov. 7 to Dec. 4, with the exhibition ending in a gala and art auction. Event sponsors may purchase art work to help raise funds, or make donations in exchange for advertising.

The events will gather funds and allow people to honor those who’ve touched their lives, by angel creation, organizers said. Artists may submit angels for auction or craft a rendering of a specific person’s angel.

Nancy Raia, Eastern Shore Art Center director, sparked awareness for the event during last week’s Fairhope Arts and Crafts Festival, where she and her students wore cardboard wings and accepted donations for angel caricatures and face painting.

Ashley Taylor, one of Raia’s students, was on hand for the festival, as was her best friend, Kristina Odom. Both girls believe an angel was watching over Odom in February, when she avoided injury during a car wreck on U.S. Highway 59 in front of Faulkner State Community College in Bay Minette. Odom’s car swerved and landed in tree branches on the roadside, Taylor said, adding that the crash may have been due to a blackout caused by Odom’s migraine medication.

Taylor said she needed “some art therapy” the day after the wreck, and painted the crash scene — with a hovering angel — during one of Raia’s classes.

Taylor said she joined Calling All Angels’ fundraising efforts because she is a pediatric psychology major and has always wanted to work with kids.

But she’s also a survivor.

“… I also had renal failure at two years old and am on dialysis now, so it’s really close to my heart,” she said.

The Fairhope Arts and Crafts Festival gave both Taylor and Odom the chance to help with efforts.

“We made $75 in the first hour painting faces,” Taylor said. “I told myself, ‘I’m not leaving here until we have at least $200.’

“When we counted the money after five hours, we made $350.”

All proceeds from Calling All Angels will be split equally between Mercy Medical and the art center, Angie Baggett, Mercy’s development director, said.

To sponsor, donate art work or provide other help, such as marketing or membership on art submission committees, call 621-4280 or visit the Web site, www.mercymedical.com/CAA.