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September 2008 | |||||||
WELCOME TO THE INAUGURAL ISSUE OF THE BEACON FOR AAC MEMBERS!
As the adoption environment becomes more complex, it is more important than ever to provide timely communication to our members about emerging issues, state legislative initiatives, and the accomplishments and activities of our members. Our community continues to grow as we embrace those impacted by donor-assisted reproduction, inter-cultural and transracial adoption, and extended foster care. As the monthly electronic newsletter of the AAC, the Beacon will deliver the latest AAC updates to your mailbox the first week of each month. This is your newsletter. Your contributions are critical to our success. Please send your news items to our editor, jomarmack@yahoo.com, by the 15th of each month, for consideration in the subsequent issue. Thank you for your continued support of the AAC.
Eileen McQuade President |
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CONTEST TO NAME NEWSLETTER DREW HUGE INTEREST AMONG AAC MEMBERS
Participation by the AAC's members was crucial to the successful debut of the Beacon. A naming contest held earlier this year produced 41 suggested names. The difficult task of picking a name fell to the Board of Directors. Board members did not know in advance who had submitted each suggested name. When all the votes were counted, the winning entry was the Beacon. It was submitted by Roberta MacDonald. If her name sounds familiar, it is because Ms. MacDonald is the AAC's state representative for North Carolina. When she was notified of her winning entry, Ms. MacDonald said, "I want to take this time to thank all of you for finding my entry 'award winning' . . . (the Beacon) just seemed very appropriate."
AROUND THE AMERICAN ADOPTION CONGRESS
• Contributions to the Legislative Fund in memory of Denny Glad, now total nearly $2,000.00. The AAC wants to thank everyone who donated so generously. The issue of the Decree that reached members in August contains a tribute to the late Denny Glad, and her tireless efforts on behalf of adoption reform. • Nominations for the election in 2009 for members on the AAC's Board of Directors are being accepted until Oct. 1, 2008. The application form is available on the AAC's homepage, www.americanadoptioncongress.org. For additional information, please contact Lynne Banks, the AAC's Midwest Regional Director, lbanks8928@sio.midco.net. • "Transforming Families, Connecting Lives" is the theme for the AAC's 30th annual conference, to be held in Cleveland, Ohio, April 22-26, 2009. This conference is a joint effort between the AAC and Adoption Network Cleveland. Additional information is available on both organizations' web sites: www.americanadoptioncongress.org • The AAC Education Committee is hard at work developing a series of videos for YouTube and a coloring book about open adoption. Both projects focus on the realities of adoption for adoptees and their parents by birth and adoption. For more information or to get involved, please contact Education Chair, Wendy Rowney, at wrowney@rogers.com. |
IN THE NEXT DECREE, THESE STORIES JOIN OTHERS TO BRING MEMBERS IN-DEPTH VIEWS OF ADOPTION
Some of the feature stories readers can look forward to seeing soon in the Decree include:
“A Look at Hague After U.S. Entry into Force,” by Etta Lappen Davis. She details the impacts that The Hague Convention may have on U.S. adoption practices and agencies. In using their experiences with adoption to create art, Penny Callan Partridge and Zara Phillips share how they incorporated their personal experiences to produce performance art and documentaries. . “How Human Nature Hinders Adult Adoptees’ Search for Self,” by Joan Schumack. A reunited, transnational adoptee from Greece, she examines some attitudes that can stand in the way of adoptees who search and reunite with birth family. “A Dream Come True,” a reunion story by Linda Davidge. She and her twin sister were adopted in New York state. They did not search until they reached their mid-30s, and only after their adoptive parents were deceased.
A WEB SITE WORTH THE VISIT Each month, the Beacon will highlight a web site that may be unfamiliar to members. This month's web site is the Adopted and Fostered Adults of the African Diaspora.
“AFAAD is a nonprofit organization connecting, supporting, and advocating for the needs of the African Diasporic adoption and foster community on a global level, through community outreach, political work, research/scholarship and social gatherings.” AAC members are encouraged to submit web sites for highlighting in the Beacon. Please send your suggestions to Joan Schumack, content editor, at jomarmack@yahoo.com.
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BECOME AN INSTANT PART OF ADOPTION REFORM THROUGH MEMBERSHIP AND INVOLVEMENT WITH THE AAC
Membership in the American Adoption Congress immediately connects you to the adoption reform community at large. Through the AAC, you can: * Volunteer as a state representative In this vital capacity, you can network with like-minded individuals in your region. State representatives serve as the indispensable bridge between members and the Board of Directors. Contact: Carolyn Hoard, Secretary and Membership Director, choard@comcast.net * Nominate yourself, or someone you know, for the Board of Directors An election is scheduled for early 2009. Board members live throughout the U.S. and Canada. As a board member, you can participate in the adoption community at a national, and even international level. Board members need to be, or become AAC members in good standing (fully paid membership), in order to serve on the AAC's Board of Directors. Contact: Lynne Banks, Midwest Regional Director, lbanks8928@sio.midco.net * Contribute to the Decree The AAC's award-winning, quarterly print newsletter has a need for writers, articles, and proofreaders. Contact: Sharon Pittenger, Editor, sharon.pittenger@gmail.com * Become active in educational efforts and legislative reform The Education and Legislative committees have some exciting and ground-breaking projects under way. Education contact: Wendy Rowney, Education Chairperson, wrowney@rogers.com Legislative contact: Mary Martin Mason, Legislative Chairperson, mmason@mnadopt.org * Identify news items for potential use in the Beacon Adoption news in general, and news of adoption reform in particular, are dynamic and ever-expanding. The Beacon can remain timely and informative only with your help in tracking adoption news wherever it may appear, on-line and off-line. Contact: Joan Schumack, Content Editor, jomarmack@yahoo.com * Submit suggestions for the web site Along with the Decree and the Beacon, the AAC's web site strives to offer useful information for triad members, and for anyone with an interest in adoption. Members' feedback is encouraged to keep the web content accurate for the benefit of all visitors to the web site. Contact: Joan Schumack, Communications Chairperson, jomarmack@yahoo.com |
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