FTIA Ohio Office Update & Winter Events

by Brenda Raymond-Ball

Congratulations and welcome home to the Abas Family. Cindy, husband Drew, and big sister Allison recently returned home with Emily Grace from Guangxi Province, China. Cindy will resume her duties at FTIA in January 2004. During Cindy´s absence, Mary Lou Berling is assisting Brenda and Tammy in the Ohio office.

Families Thru International Adoption Events

Ohio Informational Seminars

For information visit the Seminar Schedule on our FTIA web site.

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Waiting Families Meetings

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

♦Saturday, January 17, 2004 -- Ascension Lutheran/Cincinnati -- 1:00 - 2:30 pm -- Topic - Early Intervention

♦Saturday, March 13, 2004 -- Ascension Lutheran/Cincinnati -- 1:00 - 2:30 pm -- Topic - Meeting Your Child - Expectations and Realities"

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Adoption / Parenting Events

"Intro to Chinese" - FCC-Cincinnati January Waiting Families Event

Hao Dong Wang will be teaching an Introduction to Basic Chinese for families on Saturday, January 10th, from 3:30-5:00 pm at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Kenwood Road.

Adoption Education Center of Greater Dayton - International Adoption Workshops

Educational workshops for families preparing to adopt internationally will be offered throughout the year. Workshop #1, including information regarding institutionalization, child development, attachment and bonding, heritage and cultural issues and adjustment and transition, will be offered January 17 and March 20. Workshop #2, including understanding the lifelong journey of adoption, building family identity, core issues and talking about adoption, will be offered February 21 and April 17. For more information contact the Adoption Education Center at 937-748-4889.

"Post Adoption Paperwork " FCC-Dayton January Waiting Families Event

Ellen Rice, Director of Cherub International Adoption Services will speak on Post-Adoption paperwork on Thursday, January 22, 2004, at 7:00 pm. The meeting will be held at Miami Valley Hospital, 6th Floor, rooms 1 & 2 NW.

Abroad and Back

On Friday, January 23rd and Saturday, January 24th in Cleveland, The Attachment and Bonding Center of Ohio is presenting "Parenting and International Adoption". Three sessions will cover Orphanage Life; Attachment: It Takes Time: and Adoption-Bringing Your Child Home is Just the Beginning! Please contact Arleta James at (440) 230-1960, ext. 4 or email Arletaj@aol.com for more information.

"Attachment & Bonding" FCC-Cincinnati February Waiting Families Event

Saturday, February 14, 2004, from 3:30-5:00 pm at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Kenwood Road. Open to any families adopting internationally.

International Adoption Seminar

FTIA will participate in an international adoption seminar on Saturday, February 21, from 9:30 am - 12 noon at Lakeside Christian Church in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky. For more information email ohio@ftia.org or call 513-794-1515.

"Attachment & Bonding Issues" FCC-Dayton February Waiting Families Event

February 26, 2004, at 7:00 pm, John Kissel, M.S., L.P.C.C., will speak on Attachment and Bonding Issues. The meeting will be held at Miami Valley Hospital, 6th Floor, rooms 1 & 2 NW.

"All You Ever Wanted to Know About International Adoption" Now you can ask…

This series hosted by the International Adoption Center at Cincinnati Children´s Hospital will be Saturdays, February 28 through March 27, from 9:30 am-12:30 pm. The session topics include Now That You Are Home, Expect the Unexpected, Attachment Issues, Mystery History and Sensory Integration / Massage Therapy. All classes will meet at Cincinnati Children´s Hospital Medical Center on Burnet Avenue, Sabin Education Center Room D2.22. For information or to register, call 513-636-2877 x2.

Second Annual Miami Valley Adoption Fair

Area agencies and support groups will staff booths at Fairhaven Church in Centerville, Ohio on Saturday, March 6 from 10 am - 2 pm at this free open house style event. Professionals will lead workshops in Domestic Adoption, International Adoption, and School Age and Sibling Group Adoption. Anyone interested in adoption is welcome to enjoy some "one-stop shopping". For more information contact us at ohio@ftia.org.

"Mystery History" Catholic Social Services of Miami Valley Event

Thursday, March 18 from 7:00-9:00pm, at Fairhaven Church, Centerville. This workshop presented by Jayne Schooler, will examine the hows, whys, and whens of telling the truth to children about their past histories. To register, call 937-223-7217 ext. 261 or 800-300-2937 ext. 261.

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Cultural Events

Chinese New Year 2004 celebrating the "Year of the Monkey"

♦FCC-Cincinnati - January 17, Notre Dame Academy, Park Hills, KY Contact Eileen Sweeney 513-533-0030.

♦FCC-Columbus - February 8, at Indian Trails Elementary. Call 614-470-3870 for more info.

♦FCC-Dayton - February 7, Fairhaven Church, Centerville. Contact Pam Conger-Cox 937-293-9232.

Celebrate Tet, the Vietnamese New Year

♦FCVN-Cincinnati - Contact Kim Conlin at kconlin@cinci.rr.com.

Passport to the World: African Culture Fest

Cincinnati Museum Center is opening its cultural expedition this year with the African Culture Fest. Exciting performances of African drummers and dances, listen to stories of African folklore and sample African cuisine. January 17 to 19, 2004. Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal, Cincinnati, (513) 287-7000, (800) 733-2077, or www.cincymuseum.org.

Complexions

Complexions is a New York City-based multicultural dance company with a mission to educate, entertain and amaze by providing diverse and innovative performances that have a phenomenal community impact. This event will be held at 8:00 pm on Sunday, February 29, 2004, at the Procter and Gamble Hall - Aronoff Center, 650 Walnut Street, Cincinnati.

Passport to the World: Celtic Lands Fest

ample the music, dance, arts and crafts, folklore and native cuisines of Ireland, Scotland and Wales March 13-14, 2004. Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal, Cincinnati, (513) 287-7000, (800) 733-2077, or www.cincymuseum.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, 2004. For more info visit www.oberlin.edu.