From the moment Layla was born, doctors knew she wouldn't live long. Her brain was so underdeveloped that it was little more than a stem. She couldnt see, feed herself or eat, and she passed away when she was just 11 months old.

Days before her death, Layla was adopted by Joe and Melba Cotton, a New Mexico couple whose actions have earned them the Abigail Thomlinson award.

An article on the website of the Hobbs News-Sun provided the following details about the Cottons and the award they recently received:

The award is given to someone in the community each year that demonstrates the courage, willingness to mentor and strength Abigail exhibited during her short life.
Tom Thomlinson's voice broke as he described his daughter during Monday's ceremony. He said the Cottons embody the spirit of the award and that is why he chose them as this year's recipients.

"The award is given to people whose sole purpose is to help people," he said. "For all the children they have helped, this year's recipients stand for what I hope the awards stands for."

The Cottons have spent decades helping children. They have lost count of the number of children they have fostered in the past 25 years and as Joe said in his comments during the ceremony, the couple's journey began long ago when they lost their infant daughter.

Labels: adoptive parents, awards, special_needs

Posted By: Aspen/CRC 0 Comments

Adoption is a life-changing decision for both parent and child. It's also an expensive decision, the costs of which can prevent some would-be adoptive parents from even beginning the process. The people at Hillcrest Baptist Church in Sioux Falls, S.D., know this - and they also know they can turn to their church for help with adoption costs.

"Saturday, Sen. Tim Johnson recognized the church as honorees of the 2008 Angels in Adoption award. He heard from families facing their own challenges of adoption. They told him without the help of their church it wouldn't be possible."

The money in the church's adoption fund was originally earmarked for a new facility, but with adoption costs rising, church leaders felt the money would be better invested in new families instead of a new building. Source: KSFY News (SD)

Labels: awards, support, expenses

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Brigham City, Utah attorney Dale Dorius has five children. Four of them are adopted. He believes so strongly in helping connect and create families that he's dedicated over 40 years to adoptions and birth-mother placements. He was recently honored by the United States Congressional Coalition on Adoption, with an Angel of Adoption award.

"Dorius' efforts have made a difference in families all over the world. Many birth mothers come to Utah because it is an adoption-friendly state. He handles many interstate and international adoptions. In addition, he's worked with the court system to handle foster care adoptions and placements."

One of Dorius' adopted children - Jennifer Reyes, is also an attorney who specializes in adoptions. Having seen the difference her father makes, she's now working to have the same positive influence in the lives of would-be families.

The Oakley School is a college prep boarding school in Utah that helps troubled teens.

Labels: awards, birth_parents, court

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

In 1975, President Ford authorized a program called Operation Babylift, which evacuated 4,000 orphans from South Vietnam. About 2,500 of those children were adopted by U.S. families and several of them gathered together in Grand Rapids, Michigan to honor the late president by posthumously awarding him the Heather Constance Noone Memorial Award for extraordinary actions.

"Ford's son, Steven, was touched by the ceremony, in which a painting of Ford cradling an infant was presented to the museum."

Steven also accepted the Memorial award on his father's behalf.

Read more at MLive.com.

Labels: awareness, awards, adoptees

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

In 1975, President Ford authorized a program called Operation Babylift, which evacuated 4,000 orphans from South Vietnam. About 2,500 of those children were adopted by U.S. families and several of them gathered together in Grand Rapids, Michigan to honor the late president by posthumously awarding him the Heather Constance Noone Memorial Award for extraordinary actions.

"Ford's son, Steven, was touched by the ceremony, in which a painting of Ford cradling an infant was presented to the museum."

Steven also accepted the Memorial award on his father's behalf.

Read more at MLive.com.

Labels: awareness, awards, adoptees

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments