Hello!

I am participating in the seventh annual Gift of Adoption bowl-a-thon on Sunday, November 15th and would like to invite you to join me in supporting this worthy cause.

The event is being held to benefit children in need of a permanent and loving family.  Money raised at the event will provide adoption grants to local families, enabling them to cover the last portion of their adoption costs and removing the final obstacle in the process of bringing these children home.

Our goal as a bowling team is to raise $600 for the event.  You can help give a child a home by making a donation either directly through this web site or by calling the Gift of Adoption office at (877) 205-2367.

 More information about the mission and the impact of the Gift of Adoption can be found at ,www.giftofadoption.org but hopefully the story below of a prior grant-recipient family can help to illustrate the type of people and children that would benefit from your support.

Antonela's Story

Antonela had spent most of her first seven years behind the same four walls in an Albanian orphanage.  She has a blood disorder that requires regular and frequent transfusions.  Given the medical care and resources available at her orphanage, doctors estimated that she could expect to live only another 20 or so years, but with more advanced care they thought that could be extended to 50 years or more.

Katie and Randy already had four biological children and had not planned on adding a fifth.  That changed, however, when Katie's mother met Antonela on a service mission through her church.  Recognizing the sense of urgency brought about by her age and medical condition, Katie and Randy knew that someone needed to help this little girl.  In spite of the significant financial challenges, but at the strong urging of their other four children, Katie and Randy decided this was their opportunity to make a difference in the world.

So the family dedicated themselves to saving and raising as much money as possible.  They managed to gather $27,000 in a short period of time, but it wasn't enough.  A grant from the Gift of Adoption allowed Katie and Randy to clear the last remaining financial hurdles, complete their adoption, and give Antonela the home and family she so desperately needed. 

Antonela has been home now for about a year.  She already speaks near perfect English and loves McDonald's french fries.  Katie and Randy have been amazed at how she has flourished and blossomed, and how perfectly she fits into their family.  This adoption has blessed their entire family.