National Adoption Day will be celebrated nationwide on Saturday, but a local celebration is set for Friday in the Starke County Courthouse.
Starke County CASA Director Rhonda Adcock explains the day’s festivities.
“On the whole third floor, we’ll have a reception and we’ve got booths with different organizations involved in adoptions that will be there to answer questions or to talk to people who are interested in adoptions. We’re also going to have a party, a celebration, for the families who are going through the adoption process that day,” explained Adcock.
Four families will be finalizing the adoption process on Friday in Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall’s courtroom.
Prior to those final hearings, there will be ceremony in the courtroom with different speakers that is open to the public.
“We have an adopted mother/daughter team that’s going to speak, a representative from Bella Vita is going to speak as well as a representative from an adoption agency. That will take place from 1–1:30 p.m. Any adoptive families in our area are encouraged to attend and get the word out about kids who need forever families,” said Adcock.
Adcock says as a Court Appointed Special Advocate, or CASA member, it will be gratifying to be part of the adoption ceremonies on Friday
“It is. That is our goal for every child,” Adcock explained. “Every child who has a CASA, we try to get them to a place of permanency which means the people who are taking care of them at that moment love them, are dedicated to taking care of them and will be there for them for the rest of their lives.”
The booths will be open all afternoon on the third floor of the courthouse. Balloon animals will be given to the children who attend and refreshments will be served.
