FTIA Ohio Office Update & Spring Events

by Brenda Raymond-Ball

Congratulations and welcome home to Tammy and Jacqueline Grega! Tammy, with daughter Kelcie and father, Bob, traveled to China to complete the adoption of her daughter Jacqueline, who is from the Xinjiang Province. They returned home on February 26 to be greeted by Tom, Kaitlyn, and Jacob.

Families Thru International Adoption Events

Ohio Informational Seminars

Saturday, May 8, 2004 - 10:00 - 11:30 am
Ascension Lutheran/Cincinnati

Thursday, June 10, 2004 - 7:00 - 8:30 pm
Vineyard Church of Columbus

Tuesday, July 13, 2004 - 7:00 - 8:30 pm
Ascension Lutheran/Cincinnati

For details visit the Seminar Schedule on our FTIA website.

Ohio Waiting Families Meetings

For more information, contact ohio@ftia.org or call (513)794-1515 with questions.

Saturday, May 8, 2004 - 1:00 - 2:30 pm
Ascension Lutheran/Cincinnati
Topic: Medical Issues with regard to International Adoption

Saturday, July 17, 2004 - 10:00 - 11:30 am
Ascension Lutheran/Cincinnati
Topic: Post Placement Paperwork

FTIA Reunion

Mark your calendars to join us at Forest Park in Indianapolis on Saturday, July 24th, for FTIA's Celebration of Children Reunion! For more information, see our website.

Adoption / Parenting Events

International Adoption Workshops--Adoption Education Center of Greater Dayton

Educational workshops for families preparing to adopt internationally will be offered throughout the year. Workshop #1 includes information regarding institutionalization, child development, attachment and bonding, heritage and cultural issues, and adjustment and transition, and will be offered May 15 and July 17. Workshop #2 includes understanding the lifelong journey of adoption, building family identity, core issues, and talking about adoption, and will be offered April 17 and June 19. For more information contact Lynn Wenstrup at the Adoption Education Center at 937-438-3073 or email her at lwenstrup@woh.rr.com.

Health Concerns and International Adoption: What You Should Know

This series hosted by the International Adoption Center at Cincinnati Children's Hospital will be held on Thursday evenings beginning April 22 thru May 20. For information or to register, call 513-636-2877 and choose option #2.

The Referral Process--FCC-Dayton May Waiting Families Event

Brenda Raymond Ball, Ohio Administrator with FTIA, will speak about the referral process on Thursday, May 27 at 7:00 pm. The meeting will be held at the Miami Valley Hospital, 6th Floor, rooms 1 & 2 NW. For more information contact Terri at 937-698-3635 or tac5@aol.com.

Cultural Events

International Festival at the Adoption Resource Center, 9918 Carver Road, Blue Ash

On Sunday, May 2nd, from 1:00-4:00 pm, the Adoption Resource Center will host a variety of countries. Families will be able to experience other cultures through music, dance, clothing, food, books, crafts, and pictures from different cultures around the world. For more information contact 513-794-1515 or Adoptionconference@fuse.net.

Circle of Bliss: Buddhist Meditational Art

The Columbus Museum is hosting 160 objects in "The Circle of Bliss" from February 6 thru May 9. These works include Himalayan paintings (thangkas); metal, stone, and wood sculptures; appliqué and embroidered silk textiles; and diverse ritual implements. For more information please visit their website www.columbusmuseum.org.

Dinosaur Dynasty: Dinosaur Discoveries from China

See real dinosaur bones! This exhibit shows you 165 million years of dinosaur history. China holds the history of dinosaurs. Fossil diggers have found fossils representing all three Mesozoic periods, Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous. The fossils are as big as 70 feet long and include land dwellers along with flying and swimming reptiles. The exhibit includes nearly 20 skeletons! This exhibit will be on display from May 7 thru September 6 at the COSI Museum in Columbus. For more information please visit their website www.cosi.org.

Ethos

The Ethos Percussion Group will perform on May 14 at Ohio University where they will combine evocative Guatemalan marimba music with Japanese taiko drumming to create a high-energy performance that will captivate audiences of all ages. In celebration of Ohio University's International Week, Ethos will be joined for this performance by master Indian musicians Pandit Samir Chatterjee on tabla and Pandit Ramesh Misra on sarengi as they explore the place where ancient and modern percussion meet. The Ohio University School of Music's Combined Choirs and Percussion Ensemble will join Ethos in a performance of Missa Luba, a formal mass in Congolese (Zaierean) style. For more information please visit www.ohiou.edu/performingarts.

Asian Festival

Celebrate freedom with diversity on Memorial Day weekend, May 29 and 30. The festival promises a world of sights, sounds and tastes: shop the Asian Market; explore hands-on children's activities; eat delicious Asian cuisine from Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Malay Peninsula, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam; and enjoy thrilling stage performances and fascinating cultural booths. For more information please visit www.asian-festival.org.

Chinese & Japanese Art from Antiquity to the Present

Two recently acquired modern Chinese paintings have been added to this exhibition. "Criticize the Slogan Practice Self-Control and Restore Civility" and "Suffused with the News: Boys on the Town." This exhibition will be available for viewing at the Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin College until June 11. For more info please visit www.oberlin.edu/allenart/exhibitions/exhibits-chinjapnantiq.html.

Dragonfest 2004--Families with Children from China of Greater Cincinnati (FCC-GC)

Join us for an adventure on Saturday, June 12th as we celebrate the Fifth Annual Dragon Fest at Finneytown High School in Cincinnati. Come explore "Regions of China" through family oriented activities which will include: cooking, dancing/music, story telling, games, minority/ethnic costumes, and much much more! For more information or to register visit www.fcc-cincinnati.org, email bpickard@stantinc.com or contact Heidi at 513-542-9744 or hjej5997@aol.com.

Festival Latino

Celebrate the diversity of Latin American culture on Columbus' downtown riverfront June 18 and 19. Dance to the live sounds of the finest international and regional artists, taste Latin American cuisine, and shop at the marketplace or play at the children's area. Fun all day and all night! For more information please visit www.musicintheair.com.

Summer Festival of the Arts

This outdoor event will be held on the campus of Youngstown State University on July 10 and 11. International displays will include food, crafts, and performances in the Festival of Nations area. For more information please visit www.ysu.edu/sfa.