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Mass adoption ceremony unites new families
Nov. 21 was just another Saturday to most Prince William residents; one day closer to Thanksgiving and getting together with family.But for some it’s the beginning of a new family.
In the Prince William County Judicial Center, many families and soon-to-be-families celebrated the joy of adoption.
Families from Winchester, Bristow and Manassas all took part in a special ceremony marking National Adoption Day.
Judges, attorneys, social services, the Prince William County Sheriff’s Honor Guard and Prince William County Department of Family Services employees all volunteered their time and talent to take part in the mass adoption finalization of nine children from the Prince William County area.
"Nationally, there are 125,000 children needing to be adopted, there are 1,575 in the state of Virginia and 15 in Prince William County who are awaiting adoption," said Judge William Baker. "Since 2004, 30 children have been adopted in the greater Prince William area on National Adoption Day and nine are being finalized today."
The ceremony was the sixth in Prince William and is funded by the Prince William County Bar Association.
Adoption can be expensive; however, there is help available through county resources. Most of the children needing to be adopted come from abusive or neglected backgrounds.
During the ceremony, social workers for the various children introduced the children and their new families. Each child has had a background full of pain, neglect or abuse.
The families at this ceremony were all delighted to become their parents and to commit to providing a whole new life for their new children.
“We are thrilled to be here today,” said a couple who traveled from Winchester to adopt a Prince William child.
“Most people don’t know that in 1776 one of the first adopted children was a man named John Hancock," said Judge Richard Potter. "Since then some of the most talented and famous people in history has been adopted."
Edgar Allen Poe, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Scott Hamilton, Lee Majors, George Reeves and Bill Clinton were all adopted.
Now, the nine Prince William children have joined the ranks of the rich and famous as the proud owners of adoptive parents.
For one 2-year-old, the most important part of the ceremony was a huge National Adoption Day cake. He cried through most of the ceremony, calling for “Cake! Cake!" until a judge quipped that he may need to make a ruling that the cake should be cut early.
Laughter filled Court Room 4 – the first, hopefully, of many days of laughter ahead for nine new families.
For more information on National Adoption Day go to www.nationaladoptionday.org or contact Prince William County Department of Social Services.
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