Monday, February 28, 2011

Daytona 500 winner gives shout out to Jesus, ministry



Nascar News
Updated: Tuesday, 22 Feb 2011, 8:07 AM EST
Published : Tuesday, 22 Feb 2011, 6:46 AM EST

MONTERREY, Mexico (AP) - Trevor Bayne, the 20-year-old driver who won Sunday's Daytona 500, has offered to give some of his $1.4 million prize to an international Christian ministry that cares for orphans.

After becoming the youngest driver to ever win NASCAR's biggest race, Trevor Bayne praised Jesus Christ and said his prize would help support the work of Back2Back Ministries. (www.back2backministries.org)

The Rev. Lonnie Clouse, a former NASCAR chaplain, says Bayne was a regular at his Bible studies and chapel services. Clouse now works at Back2Back orphanages in Monterrey, Mexico, where Bayne volunteered for several days in December.


Clouse says Bayne called him after winning the race, and they prayed together and agreed that God had given Bayne a platform to proclaim his faith and speak up for orphans in need.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Foster dad steps up to help homeless Conant student

Please enjoy this article about our own Rich Denman, and his "sons". I'm so proud that he is a part of our adoption & foster care community at Willow Creek. Please pray for Rich and the guys and that God would allow Rich his "retirement dream" to help more young men.

The Daily Herald
Article updated: 2/25/2011 04:55 PM
By Burt Constable


Bob Chwedyk Staff Photographer

Matt Denman, left, 18-year-old Anthony “Richie” Lemus, center, Michael Bradley, and veteran foster dad, Rich Denman, having dinner together.

After years of homelessness, 18-year-old Anthony “Richie” Lemus needed a place to stay so he could continue with his goal of graduating from Conant High School. Rich Denman, who has spent 25 years as a foster dad for needy kids, found a way to welcome Richie into their Schaumburg home.

Life up to now has been “kinda everything,” says Anthony “Richie” Lemus, a homeless 18-year-old who just shrugs when asked where he grew up. There was the trailer park in Des Plaines, then Buffalo Grove, then the summer with an aunt in Washington, D.C., then a rocky stretch that started in Belvidere and included stints with relatives, friends, park benches, streets, juvenile detention centers, Nebraska's famous Boys Town, more uncertainty, and finally a home with longtime foster dad Rich Denman, who recently volunteered to make room in his Schaumburg home for Richie.

Now on track to graduate from Conant High School this June and move on to Harper College, Richie explains how he ended up homeless for much of his life. “My dad and mom were fighters,” Richie says, recalling verbal battles that often spilled into physical confrontations and sometimes enveloped him. “My dad, he'd like to hit me a few times.” Richie realized the situation had become too much for a boy to take.

“When I turned 12, I stopped going home,” Richie says simply. As if he were on a series of endless sleepovers, the boy would bounce from friend to friend. Kindhearted moms would invite him to stay longer. Richie's parents were fine with that. “We had an agreement,” Richie says of the deal he cut with his parents. “After a while, they just didn't care.”

As he entered his teen years, his problems escalated while he was living in Belvidere. “I got into an altercation with another kid,” he says, adding that he acted in self-defense after the other boy kept pushing him. “I busted his head open on the sidewalk and I got locked up.” That led to the first of several visits to a juvenile detention center. “Back then, I used to get arrested pretty much to the point where the cops knew me,” Richie says.

When his parents divorced, his older sister and mother went to Rockford, and Richie decided to try living with his father in nearby Poplar Grove. “We'd box every other day,” Richie says, making their angry fistfights between a 225-pound man and a 13-year-old boy sound more civilized than they were. “We got to the point where we would leave the house all bloody every day.”

When his father got a girlfriend, “I ended up on the street,” Richie says. “I slept on the streets a whole bunch of times. I've been jumped twice. I barely went to school that semester.” Missed court dates and more brushes with the law resulted in an ultimatum: “The department of corrections or Boys Town,” Richie remembers. “Naturally, I picked Boys Town.”

The famous orphanage in Omaha, Neb., has changed a lot since Spencer Tracy won an Oscar portraying founder Father Flanagan in the 1938 movie that also starred Mickey Rooney, but Richie says the results are the same. “It was amazing. It completely changed me,” Richie says.
“While he was here, he did great,” says Sarah Miller, a clinical specialist at Boys Town. She says Richie ran on the cross-country team, improved academically and learned skills to help him solve problems and think critically.

Richie made a lot of friends from all over the nation, read the Bible, found his way in life and discovered that the Catholic institution left a mark on him, figuratively and literally. Richie's right biceps sports a black tattoo of a rosary with a cross on a string of prayer beads. “At the time, I was thinking I needed a little extra help, just something to remind me where I'm coming from,” he says as he shows off the tattoo. Richie left Boys Town early after two years and one month, taking a bus back to Illinois after a phone call from his father. “My dad kept telling me it's going to be OK to come back,” Richie says. “It wasn't.” His departure from Boys Town violated the terms of his probation, so Richie had to spend another month in a “juvy home.” Then he was on his own — an 18-year-old legal adult with no place to live.

His story isn't unique. As of June 2010, Illinois had 33,804 students considered homeless, with 13,850 of them attending Chicago Public Schools, according to Mary Fergus, a spokeswoman for the Illinois State Board of Education. Suburban Cook County counted 3,317 such students, while Kane had 1,153, DuPage had 755, Lake had 566 and McHenry had 402.

The state has 441 shelter beds dedicated for youths, and only 117 of those are in the suburbs, according to Beth Cunningham, an attorney working on homeless youth issues for the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless. When Richie no longer could stay with a friend, “that's when it got pretty rough,” Richie says. Pat Kelley, a social worker at Conant High School in Hoffman Estates, turned to Denman, whom she had worked with on earlier cases.

Denman had just celebrated his 25th anniversary as a foster dad. Denman, who was trained at Maryville Academy in Des Plaines, welcomed his first boy the Monday after the Chicago Bears won the 1986 Super Bowl. His 20th foster son left as Richie arrived. He also adopted an 11-year-old boy with special needs. “You're the only person I know who would think about doing this,” Kelley told Denman on the phone. Denman, who had expanded his two-bedroom townhouse to add two more bedrooms in the basement, still didn't have a room for Richie.

“But I heard Richie in the background: ‘I've got an air mattress. I can sleep anywhere,'” says Denman, who figured out a way to make it work. A soft-spoken young man, Richie doesn't look intimidating. “Oh, you'd be surprised,” he says with a slight smile. Richie's background of fights and incarceration didn't discourage Denman. “That's the history of these kids,” Denman says, smiling before adding, “I have a lot of patience.”

Denman's house rules include no drinking, no drugs, no smoking inside and no overnight visitors. Everyone has chores. Richie says that's all good for him. “We kind of keep each other accountable,” Richie says of his new family, which includes Matt, 23, the boy Denman adopted at age 11, and Matt's brother, Mike, 26, who has lived in the home off and on for more than a decade.

Richie isn't a ward of the state, and the state doesn't pay for his care. But Denman, who worked as a child to help support his divorced mother, has never let money or the system's guidelines curtail his efforts to help. “I had one kid who came at 16 and stayed 9½ years. He had two years as a foster kid and the rest was on my dime,” says Denman.

An accountant who will turn 64 in May, Denman has been punched and choked, and once had a 14-year-old hit him with a chair so hard that pieces of the splintered chair were embedded in the wall, even though Denman was miraculously unhurt. “That incident convinced me more than ever that this is what I should be doing,” says Denman, who adds that the chair-smashing boy was Matt, who, 12 years later, is a much more agreeable housemate.

The stability of a real home has helped Richie concentrate on his goal of graduating high school and attending Harper College in Palatine. “It's amazing. I can focus on things better,” Richie says. “This is my retirement plan,” says Denman, who repeatedly wishes only that he had a bigger home so he could help more kids.

They both talk about the promise of the future, instead of dwelling on hardships of the past. “It's just something I got used to,” Richie says of his homeless days, adding that he keeps in touch with both his parents and doesn't blame or resent them. “I got over it.”

For the full article and more pictures, go to:
http://dailyherald.com/article/20110225/news/702259925/#ixzz1F6SKoLye

Thursday, February 24, 2011

We Pray for Children


by Ina J. Hughes

We pray for children
who put chocolate fingers everywhere,
who like to be tickled,
who stomp in puddles and ruin their new pants,
who sneak Popsicles before supper,
who erase holes in math workbooks,
who can never find their shoes.

And we pray for children
who stare at photographers from behind barbed wire,
who can’t bound down the street in a new pair of sneakers,
who never “counted potatoes,”
who are born in places we wouldn't be caught dead,
who never go to the circus,
who live in an x-rated world,


We pray for children
who bring us sticky kisses and fistfuls of dandelions,
who sleep with the dog and bury goldfish,
who hug us in a hurry and forget their lunch money,
who cover themselves with Band-aids and sing off key,
who squeeze toothpaste all over the sink,
who slurp their soup.


And we pray for those
who never get dessert,
who have no safe blanket to drag around behind,
who watch their parents watch them die,
who can’t find any bread to steal,
who don’t have rooms to clean up,
whose pictures aren’t on anybody’s dresser,
whose monsters are real.


We pray for children
who spend all their allowance before Tuesday
who throw tantrums in the grocery store and pick at their food,
who like ghost stories,
who shove dirty clothes under the bed and never rinse out the tub,
who get visits from the tooth fairy,
who don’t like to be kissed in front of the carpool,
who squirm in church and scream in the phone,
whose tears we sometimes laugh at and whose smiles can make us cry.


And we pray for those
whose nightmares come in the daytime,
who will eat anything,
who have never seen a dentist,
who aren’t spoiled by anybody,
who go to bed hungry and cry themselves to sleep,
who live and move but have no being.


We pray for children
who want to be carried and for those who must,
For those we never give up on and for those who don’t get a second chance,
For those we smother . . and for those who will grab the hand of anybody kind enough to offer it.

We pray for the children.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Resources4Adoption


If you are in the midst of the adoption process or are considering adoption here is a great resource. Resources4Adoption provides answers to numerous question and updated information on many different resources. Here's a word from the founder, Cherri Walrod:

Resources4Adoption.com has been a vision of mine for more than nine years.

My husband and I knew we wanted to adopt, but when I began searching for financial resources, I became frustrated by the lack of information. But we were committed and determined to make our adoption dream a reality. After literally hundreds of hours of research, countless emails, dozens of phone calls, stacks upon stacks of paperwork and an out-pour of support from friends and family, we were blessed with three wonderful adopted children.

Adoption is such a beautiful experience, and I wanted to make it more feasible and eliminate some of the stress involved, so more moms and dad could bring their children home. My goal was to create one comprehensive site so parents would not have to repeat my experience, trying to navigate through broken links and outdated information to find resources to help them (yes, there are resources that can help you!)

It took nine years of information-gathering and careful planning, but alas, Resources4Adoption.com is here! It offers a wealth of knowledge that can only be obtained through hundreds of dedicated hours, first-hand experience and a passion for adoption.

As you venture on your adoption journey, I hope you find Resources4Adoption.com to be beneficial. If it helps you—if even in the slightest—bring home your son or daughter, I have succeeded. Use the information on Resources4Adoption, and never, ever lose sight of your dream. With hope, determination and the right knowledge, your adoption dreams CAN and WILL become a reality!

~Cherri Walrod, founder


Monday, February 21, 2011

SFNW Monthly Coffee


Safe Families Northwest Suburbs Invites you to...
A Mom's Coffee
Tuesday March 8th 9:30-11:30
At Sheila Applegate’s Home
1315 W. Kenilworth Palatine Il
(just east of Roselle Rd and south or Palatine Rd)
847-323-0150

This Month our topic is: How to say goodbye!
We will discuss the emotions families experience when a placement ends and
the children often go back to challenging environments.

Children are always welcome at our coffees!!

Please RSVP to Sheila at
sheila@applegates.com

Remember our new monthly coffee schedule:
January, March, May, July, September, and November second Tuesday
February, April, June, August, October, and December second Wednesday

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Christian Alliance for Orphans Summit: Registration Now Open!


The Christian Alliance for Orphans Summit has become the national hub for Christians committed to adoption, foster care and global orphan care ministry.
May 12-13, 2011 in Louisville, KY


JOIN...
organization leaders, grassroots advocates, pastors, and ministry entrepreneurs that share your passion.


ENCOUNTER...
the gathering hub of orphan ministry partnership, networking and inspiration for service.

BUILD...
knowledge, resources and practical skills via more than 75 workshops and unforgettable speakers and music.


Featured speakers include Russell Moore, Karyn Purvis, Florence Muindi, Angela Minter, Luther Ellis, Brian Fikkert, and Carolyn Tweitmeyer

Concert by Sara Groves

Special Performances by Nicol Sponberg and Robbie Seay Band

For conference information or to register, Click here: http://christianalliancefororphans.org/summit

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Connecting Hearts with the Forgotten Conference


The Connecting Hearts with the Forgotten Conference exists to help people capture the heart of God for the fatherless among us and throughout the world. The conference includes sessions and resources on adoption, foster care, post-adoption and orphan care.

Adoption & Orphan Awareness Conference
February 19th, 2011
8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

East White Oak Church
11922 E 2000 North Rd
Carlock, IL

Hosted by Bloomington-Normal Area Churches

Admission is Free: The Connecting Hearts with the Forgotten team is committed to keeping this conference free of charge. Considering overwhelming adoption expenses and the vast need for orphan ministry, we are passionate about coming alongside the workers of the field to educate and equip at no cost to them!
Contact Us: Phone: 309-454-3833

Email: connectingheartsconference@yahoo.com

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Sunnyridge Family Center Seeking Items for Silent Auction


On Saturday, March 5, 2011, Sunny Ridge Family Center will host it's annual Fashion Show Benefit for Birth Parent Services at the Abbington Banquets in Glen Ellyn.

This Benefit will help raise funds specifically for our counseling and support services of birth parents. Because of our commitment to women in need, the success of our Benefit is critical in helping us meet the needs of the clients who come to us for help.

This year our Benefit will again feature a Silent Auction. Can you please help make our Fashion Show Benefit a success by donating a silent auction item?

In the past many of you have been so generous -- and our volunteer committees have had a great deal of success with items such as:

Chicago Bulls/Blackhawk tickets
Cubs/White Sox tickets
Theatre tickets
Restaurant gift certificates
Spa certificates
Hotel or bed & breakfast weekend getaways
Collectible toys
Museum, zoo and amusement park passes
Vacation home time shares
Themed gift baskets
Department and specialty store gift cards
Electronics such as iPods
New children’s toys

You may have an item donation not listed here -- that would help raise money in our Silent Auction. Please consider a donation!

Items for our Auction can be shipped or dropped off at Sunny Ridge at the address below, no later than Friday, February 25th. For more information call volunteer Jennifer Long at (708) 868-3184, or e-mail Jennifer at long250@comcast.net

Sunny Ridge Family Center
Attention: Fashion Show Benefit
270 Remington Boulevard, Suite C
Bolingbrook, IL 60440

Thank you for your consideration!

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Proverbs 31: 8-9


"Speak for those who cannot speak for themselves,


for the rights of all who are destitute.


Speak up and judge fairly;


defend the rights of the poor and needy."


Proverbs 31:8-9

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Empowering, Connecting & Correcting DVD


The Institute of Child Development at TCU has created a nearly two-hour presentation available on DVD in which Dr. Karyn Purvis explains her research-based approach with children who come from what she calls “hard places.” This DVD offers a very helpful overview of the three principles that serve as the foundation of Dr. Purvis’ approach to help parents better understand how to connect with their children in order to help them heal and reach their highest potential.

In this presentation, Dr. Purvis explains how harm during the critical stages of brain growth can cause significant disruptions in a child’s development and behaviors, and offers strategies to overcome these challenges. This insightful and educational presentation is designed for parents, ministry leaders and adoption and foster care professionals alike.

You can order the DVD online from the Institute of Child Development for a price of $30 (plus shipping). To view a preview of the DVD, click here. http://www.child.tcu.edu/ECC.asp

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Wendy's Wonderful Kids Reaches 2,000 Adoptions



Wendy's Wonderful Kids, a signature program of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, has reached a milestone of 2,000 adoptions.

The WWK program awards grants to public and private adoption agencies to hire adoption professionals who execute aggressive, child-focused recruitment programs targeted exclusively on moving children from foster care into adoptive homes.

With its focus on the longest-waiting children in foster care, children who have been waiting for several years or more are being adopted. The Florida foster care system's longest-waiting child -- in foster care for more than 10 years -- recently had his adoption finalized because of the advocacy of WWK recruiters.

"Wendy's Wonderful Kids is a proven program that demands results, accountability and quality service on behalf of the children who need us most," said Foundation president and CEO, Rita Soronen.

There is still a long way to go to help all of the children in foster care. But with the proven focus of Wendy's Wonderful Kids and the passion of WWK recruiters, we are certain we can make a difference -- one child at a time.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Please help Shea Come Home


Meet Shea. He is a handsome 4 year old boy living in Eastern Europe, and waiting for the Kulp family, to bring him home. But Shea and his family urgently needs your prayers.

In many Eastern European orphanages, when a child with special needs turns 4 years old, they are permanently transferred to an adult mental institution to live for the rest of their lives. They most often do not receive treatment or care for their special need, but languish in the institution without ever realizing their God-given potential.

This week, the Kulps were told that Shea is scheduled to be transferred to the mental institution "in the next few weeks". Traditionally, this would exclude him from being adoptable. Please pray that God would make a way where there is no way. Pray that the orphanage director, the mental institution director, and all those making decisions would make decisions that would allow Shae to come home to his family.

If all goes well, the Kulps will make their first of two trips in April or May to travel to Shea to continue the adoption process . They are trusting God for the finances to do so. If you would like to donate to the Kulp's adoption fund, or follow their journey, please visit one of the links below.


http://www.thekulpchronicles.blogspot.com/

http://reecesrainbow.org/?s=kulp

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Alliance Webinar Series: Becoming an Orphan Advocate in Your Church

The Christian Alliance for Orphans Webinar Series is designed to help individuals like you create and grow effective adoption, foster care and global orphan ministry in local churches.

You're Invited...


Speak UP! Becoming an Orphan Advocate in Your Church

Ideas and tips for engaging your church leadership and your church body in orphan care. Learn how to SpeakUP and get your church to listen.

Host Church: Oak Ridge United Methodist Church

Presenters: Patricia Merrit, Oak Ridge United Methodist Church & Casey Scheberl, Vision Trust
Date: Wednesday, February 23, 2011 Time: 1:00 PM Central Time


To register click here: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/728417272


Each 60-minute webinar in this series will give local advocates access to the knowledge and experience of top Alliance member churches and organizations nationwide, covering key topics on adoption, foster care and/or global orphan care. Every webinar will be hosted by a local church orphan ministry and co-presented by one or more national experts on the subject matter. This pairing will deliver a combination of specialist information and resources alongside a “here’s how it works in a real church” perspective.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Willow Creek McHenry Launches Safe Families Ministry


Willow Creek Community Church McHenry Campus would like to invite you to the "Official Launch" of our Safe Families Support Group-McHenry County (SFSG-MC).

As Safe Families continues to grow and network with agencies and volunteers out here in McHenry County, we want to provide a way for Safe Families volunteers (and prospective volunteers) to get together and really connect along this journey to serve. We would love it if you would attend our first meeting and be a part of our official launch, and hope that you are able to connect with us monthly thereafter. The vision for our network will be to provide assistance with understanding and engaging in our role as volunteers, as well as helping with clothing, supplies, babysitting, respite care, emotional support, and all other aspects of being a Safe Family.

Even if you are not able to host children in your home right now, we would love you to get involved in the support of the Safe Families Program! And with Willow Creek McHenry County launching their own Safe Families Ministry, we look forward to meeting NEW families who are interested in serving in Safe Families and will be joining us for the first time!

When: Thursday, February 17th, 6:30pm-8pm
Where: Willow Creek McHenry County
220 Exchange Drive
Crystal Lake, IL

My Contact Info: Shelly Forte- shellyforte@aol.com, 847-530-2778 (cell)

Children are welcome to attend (of course!)

**Please let me know ASAP:
1- If you will be able to attend, and if so, how many adults/children.
2- If you can't attend, would you like to be on our mailing list for future events?
3- If you know of anyone else who would be interested in attending.

I look forward to meeting all of you!

Blessings,
Shelly Forte

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Safe Families Monthly Mom's Coffee


Wednesday February 9th
9:30-11:30 a.m.
At Sheila Applegate’s Home
1315 W. Kenilworth Palatine Il
(just east of Roselle Rd and south or Palatine Rd)
847-323-0150
Children are welcome.

This Month our topic is:

When DCFS is involved with your Placement. Susan Vrenios will discuss Safe Families’ roles when DCFS is the lead player in your placement.
Please RSVP to Sheila at sheila@applegates.com
Remember our new monthly coffee schedule:
January, March, May, July, September, and November second Tuesday
February, April, June, August, October, and December second Wednesday

Friday, February 4, 2011

Post adoption workshops for children and parents


What Is W.I.S.E. Up?
Most adopted children are frequently asked questions about being adopted, yet few are equipped to respond. WISE Up! is a unique and interactive workshop that provides a simple but powerful way for adopted children (and families) to handle comments and personal questions about their adoption journey. It also teaches children that they have the power to decide if and when they want to share their story. A parent workshop that teaches adults how to practice this program at home will run concurrently with the children’s workshop. WISE Up was developed by the Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.).

Who Should Attend This Workshop?
This workshop offers practical tools for both adoptive parents and adopted children (both internationally and domestically) to guide them in making choices on how to respond to uncomfortable or personal questions about their adoption. Workshops for children will be divided based on grade: 1st-3rd and 4th-6th.Space in each Workshop is limited to 10 children and 20 adults, so we recommend early registration.

Upcoming W.I.S.E. Up Workshops: Registration Now Open!

Saturday, February 19, 2011, 10:00am - 12 Noon
Morning session: Children Grades 4-6 (Ages 9, 10 & 11)
Sunny Ridge Family Center
270 Remington Blvd, Suite C
Bolingbrook, IL 60440

Saturday, February 19, 2011, 1:30pm - 3:30pm
Afternoon session: Children Grades 1-3 (Ages 6, 7 & 8)
Sunny Ridge Family Center
270 Remington Blvd, Suite C
Bolingbrook, IL 60440

Saturday, March 12, 2011 10:00am - 12 Noon
Morning session: Children Grades 1-3 (Ages 6, 7 & 8)
Francis Parker School
330 W. Webster Ave.
Chicago, IL 60614

Saturday, March 12, 2011 1:30pm - 3:30pm
Afternoon session: Children Grades 4-6 (Ages 9, 10 & 11)
Francis Parker School
330 W. Webster Ave.
Chicago, IL 60614

Location (unless stated differently above):
Sunny Ridge Family Center, Bolingbrook Office Training Room
270 Remington Boulevard, Suite C, Bolingbrook, IL 60440 (Map & Directions)
(Use side door entrance; Workshop starts promptly at 10:00am)

Cost:
Registration fee: $100 per family, or $75 for Adults attending without children (includes Workshop and Powerbook Workbook to take home)

How to register:
Registration takes place by telephone and continues until Workshop is full. Call Liz Korose at (630) 754-4528 to register. Sunny Ridge reserves the right to cancel Workshop dates due to low attendance.

Payment for the workshop is accepted by major credit card at the time of your phone registration, or by mail to Sunny Ridge within five business days of your registration.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

"Adopted for Life" free download


Thanks to Crossway Books and ChristianAudio, the book Adopted for Life is available for free download during the month of February.


Author Dr. Russell Moore will be a keynote speaker for Summit VII, and this is a great opportunity to explore his masterful book at no cost.


Although carrying much practical advice, this audiobook extends far beyond the nuts-and-blots of adoption. It explores the Biblical fountainhead of Christian adoption and orphan care: the Gospel of God's adoption of us.


Review by Jedd Medefind in Christianity Today's "My Top 5 Books on Orphan Care.

Video interview of Dr. Moore by blogger Justin Taylor.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Monthly Pot-luck Gathering

The Vulnerable Children Ministry at Willow Creek Community Church
invites you......

Sunday, February 20th from
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Willow Creek Community Church, So. Barrington


Our room has been changed this month to rooms b204-207 (down the hall from the Chapel.)
Pot-luck dinner begins at 5:00. Please bring a dish to share. Drinks will be provided.

Our speaker this month is Bart Francour and Terri Hooker from Royal Family Kids Camp (RFKC). Come to hear how RFKC is making a difference in the lives of foster kids, who have suffered neglect and abuse, through a summer camp held annually in Lake Geneva.

New this month! If you are currently considering adoption or in the process of adopting, we are forming a new group that will meet for the first time on the 20th. Come and connect, find encouragement and answers with others who are either considering or in the process of adopting.

Child care is available if you r.s.v.p. with the number of children and their ages to avoiceforhischildren@gmail.com.

See you there!