tHe radle - The Cradle

2049 Ridge Avenue | Evanston, IL 60201
847.475.5800 | www.cradle.org
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Julianne S. Tye, President
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Margarita E. Kellen, Chair
James G. Connelly III, Vice Chair
Anna M. Hajek, Vice Chair
Stephen S. Cole, Secretary/Treasurer
Caryn Rowe Africk
Pamela F. Amos
John K. Barth
Richard C. Burnstine, M.D.
Margaret A. Cartier
Paula M. and John F. Dix, Jr.
Therese K. Fauerbach
Mary L. Fisch
Raymond Grady
Andrea I. Herchenbach
Melville H. Ireland, Jr.
Catherine C. Klettke
John Salvatore Luce, Psy.D
Lawrence G. Macy
David E. Mason
Janet S. McDonald
Judith A. Muhlberg
Priscilla A. Newman
Elizabeth Parkinson
Kevin J. Rochford
Lawrence H. Rubly
Thomas F. Ryan
Robert E. Sargent
Ardythe E. and Gale E. Sayers
Barbara S. Sereda
Beth Bronner Singer
William R. Stasek
Virginia L. Uhlenhop
Griswold L. Ware
HONORARY DIRECTORS
Margaret M. Adams
Harold S. Bott, Jr.
John L. Fairfield
Joan S. and Stanley M. Freehling
Jane and Allan Gunn
Rose Ann and Addison C. Hoof
Nancy M. and Charles F. Hovey, Jr.
Margaret K. Mason
Suzanne S. Meyer
Aidan I. Mullett
Mary T. and Michael E. Phenner
William C. Rands III
Corrine V. Reichert
Jacqueline L. Schoellhorn
Mary H. and Bernard F. Sergesketter
Paul B. Uhlenhop
LATE SPRING 2008
06/09 THE CRADLE CLASSIC
GOLF TOURNAMENT
Conway Farms
Lake Forest
10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
06/18 HOW TO DISCIPLINE YOUR
CHILDREN, WITHOUT LOSING
YOURSELF
Adoptive Parent Workshop*
The Cradle, Evanston
6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
*Open to the community. Fee: $20 per person
per workshop, $10 for second family member,
non-refundable. Register online at www.cradle.org/
ed_workshops or by calling 847-733-3233
8 The Cradle Newsletter
CRADLE | Calendar
SUMMER/FALL 2008
06/29 A DAY AT THE RACES
Arlington Park, Arlington Heights
12:30 – 5:00 p.m.
07/20 LAKE FOREST ANTIQUE
AUTO SHOW
Deerpath Middle School,
Lake Forest
9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
09/27 THE CRADLE BALL
The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago
6:00 – 11:00 p.m.
10/18 BEING A CONSPICUOUS
FAMILY
Adoptive Parent Workshop*
The Cradle, Evanston
9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
NON-PROFIT ORG.
US POSTAGE
PAID
PALATINE, IL
P&DC
PERMIT# 7066
The Foster family in the courtyard at
The Cradle Open House on Sunday,
May 4.

S p r i n g | 2 0 0 8
A SPECIAL CONNECTION
To Cradle Cousins
The DeVincent family at home in 1969
Deborah DeVincent recently posted
her story on The Cradle’s online
forum. It’s so moving that we wanted
to share it with our extended Cradle
family:
I
don’t know if the Cradle is still
using the term “Cradle Cousins,”
but my caseworker always
referred to Cradle babies as “cousins.”
Whether you find your family
or not, we always have each other. I
love being adopted. It is a wonderful
thing to have been the beneficiary of
so much love.
My caseworker was Mae Golin. Mom
and dad named me “Deborah May”
so that I would feel a tie to Miss
Golin, and a sense of family. She was
a serious woman, as I recall, but I
liked her a lot. I used to write to her
when I was in elementary school, and
she always replied.
My parents admittedly were not the
richest or even the smartest two
people who ever came to The Cradle
to ask for a baby. They were undeni-
ably the finest. They taught me to
be proud of the fact that I was loved
twice; once by the biological mom
whose unselfish choice made it possible
for them to become parents,
and then loved the second time by
The Cradle, who cared enough to
place me in the home of my adoptive
parents.
Although I was born in February of
1960, I was not placed with mom
and dad until July of that year. At
the time, babies weighed 10 pounds
before they were placed. In my
case, I sense that the termination
of parental rights may have been
an extremely difficult decision for
my birthparents, and perhaps there
may have been some challenge with
finding the right family for me. The
nurses and staff at The Cradle were
definitely my guardian angels on my
birthmother’s behalf.
Mom and dad knew shortly after
they brought me home that something
was wrong, because although
I was attentive, smart, animated and
expressive, my legs were limp. After
examining me, the family doctor
determined that I had what he called
“some form of paralysis.” My parents’
hearts broke – for me, not for
themselves. Although the adoption
was not final, I was already a daughter,
a grandchild, a niece, a cousin
and a godchild, and a neighborhood
favorite. Everyone cared. Everyone
worried. Everyone was willing to step
in to help. This is what a family is
really all about.
(Continued on page 2)
The Cradle's mission is to benefit children... by providing education, guidance and life-long support on parenting choices.
Our commitment is to serve as a partner in creating and sustaining nurturing families.
CRADLE Events
THE CRADLE CLASSIC
Monday, June 9, 2008
Conway Farms Golf Club, Lake Forest
A DAY AT THE RACES
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Arlington Park, Arlington Heights
LAKE FOREST ANTIQUE AUTO
SHOW
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Deerpath Middle School, Lake Forest
THE CRADLE BALL
Saturday, September 27, 2008
The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago
CONGRATULATIONS!
David and Vanessa Schweihs are thrilled to
be taking their son Nicholas home on May 1.

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dear Friends,
For those of us who live and work
in the Chicago area, spring has
been a long time coming – a very
long time. And yet, the seemingly
endless winter months were
marked by an abundance of new
life and a flurry of activity at The
Cradle.
The most obvious example of this can be seen in The Cradle
Nursery, where the dramatic spike in Nursery admissions that
began last fall shows no sign of diminishing. The total number
of infants admitted to the Nursery in 2007 was 98. In the first six
months of our 2008 fiscal year, we had already provided care for
78 babies. With a census of between 10 and 15 babies on any
given day, the Nursery is literally hopping. We are grateful to
our nurses, infant aides and Cuddlers for being flexible and taking
on extra shifts as needed to meet the challenge of caring for
so many babies.
Placements in our domestic adoption program have exceeded
projections as well. By the end of the second quarter, 58 domestic
placements and home studies had been completed, including
24 babies placed through the Sayers Center. Our Cradle Russia
program is also flourishing. Fifteen adoptions have been finalized
this year to date and interest in the program remains consistently
strong.
The Cradle Foundation has entered its major event season, with
a variety of spring and summer offerings designed to appeal to a
broad audience and raise critical funds for Cradle programs and
services.
Like the advent of spring, recent developments at The Cradle
are signs of renewal – a continual growth of the organization and
“blossoming” of new families.
Warmest regards,
Julie S. Tye
2 The Cradle Newsletter
CRADLE COUSINS,
from page 1
We were referred to the 1960’s “god” of pediatric neurology, and
waited six months for the appointment and diagnosis: mild cerebral
palsy. I weighed only three pounds at birth. This was a post birth
trauma, typical of premature babies. I had also been a twin, but my
twin died on the day of our birth. What an ordeal for a birthmother
– two babies, one death and a premature daughter. She had to be
a wonderful woman.
My dad was quick to state that they were blessed with me. I’m
lucky to have been a special needs child, and luckier to have been
a special needs adoption.
My mother had an invalid, bedridden father and an aunt who
acquired polio as a young child. She grew up helping her aunt. We
walked to my grandma’s daily, so that mom could visit grandpa and
sometimes feed him lunch. Our extended family embraced these
issues. My half leg braces and physical therapy were ornaments
and games, never burdens to anyone on either side of my family.
Today, I am not at all modest about the fact that my parents did
an excellent job. I have always been an outstanding student. Mom
and dad said I “owned my brains because of blood.”
My handicap turned out to be a “non-issue.” It was tough when I
was a young child, but with the love of my family, the care of physicians,
and the nurturing of nuns at Trinity High School, I found the
beauty within myself to marry, the courage to divorce, and the time
to pursue and finish my education at Harvard, where I am now a
student, at 48 years old. I look forward to practicing law.
During my marriage I gave birth to three beautiful children. Mary
Catherine Rose is almost 27 years old, Rosemarie Ann is 25, and
Neil Peter is 22. The greatest joy of my life was naming my children
after my parents. I see what my twin brother might have looked like
in my son.
My sister Darlene, adopted from The Cradle in 1962, married and
had two sons. The younger became deaf as a result of meningitis,
further proving that our family is designated by God as a place for
children with special needs. We lost mom 13 years ago to breast
cancer. The street where my dad still lives, where Miss Golin visited,
is now named in honor of my mother.
I have been blessed with my first grandchild. Her name is Sophia,
after my birthmother, whom I have never met. Every one of my
Cradle Cousins is fortunate, but none more fortunate than I have
been.

NOTEWORTHY
THE CRADLE RECEIVES HAGUE
ACCREDITATION!
The Hague Convention is an international treaty formulated in 2000
to ensure that intercountry adoptions are in the best interests of
children, and to prevent the exploitation or trafficking of children.
Under this treaty, agencies and persons providing adoption services
in cases involving Convention countries are required to be accredited
or approved. On February 15, 2006, the U.S. Department of
State issued the final rules (Hague Regulations) that govern the
accreditation and approval process. The Cradle received e-mail
notification on February 29, 2008 that we had received formal
accreditation. Richard Klarberg, President and CEO of the Council
on Accreditation, wrote in his message that “The Cradle’s achievement
of Hague Accreditation demonstrates [our] commitment to the
children and families [we] serve both here and abroad.”
NATIONAL NURSES WEEK
National Nurses Week is celebrated each year from May 6th to
May 12th, Florence Nightingale’s birthday. This year’s theme,
“Nurses: Making a Difference Every Day” perfectly epitomizes
the contributions of our own Nursery staff. In honor of Nurses
Week, and in light of our continuing “baby boom,” we would
like to take this opportunity to recognize the loving and devoted
service of Cradle nurses and infant aides, who take such
exceptional care of our Cradle babies.
NEW FROM ALP
In May, Adoption Learning Partners (ALP) began hosting the
online course, “From Foster Family to Forever Family,” created
by the National Adoption Center. The Center’s mission is to
expand adoption opportunities for children living in foster care
throughout the United States, and to serve as a resource to families
and agencies who seek the permanency of caring homes for
children (www.adopt.org). The Cradle is thrilled to be partnering
with other child welfare organizations through ALP to expand our
online educational offerings.
POST ADOPTION WORKSHOPS
Open to the Community
HOW TO DISCIPLINE YOUR CHILD,
WITHOUT LOSING YOURSELF
Wednesday, June 18, 2008, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
The Cradle, Evanston
Sometimes a child’s misbehavior is more than just defiance.
This workshop is about trying to understand your child’s behavior
and different ways to approach it. Parents will learn techniques
to discipline in ways that build empathy and responsibility
in their children.
Guest speaker Kay Holler, LCSW, is a therapist in private
practice and an adoptive parent.
BEING A CONSPICUOUS FAMILY
Saturday, October 18, 2008, 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.
The Cradle, Evanston
In adoptive families, parents and children often don’t look alike.
In addition to questions, comments or even stares from other
people, your child may experience prejudice. It is important to
consider how you will respond to different situations over time
and how you can support your child. You will have the opportunity
to share your experiences and talk with other adoptive
families about navigating these issues.
This workshop will be moderated by a panel of parents who
adopted transracially.
Fees: $20 per person per workshop, $10 for second family
member, non-refundable. Register online at www.cradle.org/
ed_workshops.html or by calling 847.733.3233.

FOUNDATION BRIEFS
6 The Cradle Newsletter
$45,000 IN SIRAGUSA SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED
The Siragusa Scholarship Committee met at The Cradle on February 7 and awarded
grants totaling $45,000 to 52 Cradle families who have children with special needs
– the largest number of scholarships awarded since the program was launched eight
years ago. We are extremely grateful to The Siragusa Foundation for making this
program possible, and to the Topfer Family Foundation for granting The Cradle
additional funds for the scholarship program since 2006. These scholarships support
a wide range of needs including psychological assessments, specialized equipment,
respite care and physical, occupational, speech and equine therapy.
Left: A section of the lovely thank you note written by eight-year-old Elizabeth
Brookfield, whose family received a 2008 scholarship.
ROCK-A-BABY FUND SURPASSES GOAL
As most Cradle Cuddlers will attest, the rocking chairs in the Nursery have grown
quite creaky and uncomfortable through constant use. Thanks to this dedicated
and generous group of volunteers, however, the Nursery will have a new set of
rockers. The Rock-a-Baby Fund drive was launched in March and spearheaded by
longtime Cuddler Sheila Patt, with a goal of $5,000 to purchase ten new rocking
chairs. Cuddlers were asked to contribute $25 each; a gift of $500 would cover
the cost of one chair and offer the donor the opportunity to have a small plaque
affixed to the back of the chair. By April 30th, this special appeal had brought in
$6,400! The rocking chairs will be custom ordered to meet Nursery specifications,
and will have ample padding for extra comfort!
Left: It’s time to update the rocking chairs in the Nursery!
SUPERVALU SUPPORTS THE CRADLE
For the second year, the SUPERVALU Foundation made a generous contribution to
The Cradle through the company’s “Chip in, it’s for the kids…” fundraising effort.
Minneapolis-based SUPERVALU is one of the nation’s largest retail grocery chains.
The “Chip in” initiative, launched in 2007 by SUPERVALU associates who work in
the company’s IT departments, raises funds for child welfare and adoption agencies
across the country through associate donations, which SUPERVALU Inc. matches.
Left: SUPERVALU Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer Paul Singer (also
an adoptive dad) presents Julie Tye with a check at a ceremony in Chicago on April
22nd.

RETURN OF | The "A&P" Twins
Above: From left, Cradle babies Alan,
Karen and Peter Booth in 1946.
Right: Peter and Alan Booth visit
The Cradle on April 18, 2008.
CRADLE VOLUNTEERS
Help in so Many Ways
In every corner of The Cradle, signs of our volunteers’ dedication can
be seen.
On a typical day, adoptive parents and birthparents gather in a meeting
room as they prepare to take part in an “Adoption 101” presentation.
In another room, event volunteers meet to plan a Cradle fundraiser. On
the third floor, Cuddlers feed and comfort the babies in our Nursery. In
the Foundation offices, student volunteers complete a mailing project.
Beyond the walls of The Cradle, additional volunteers contribute their
skills and service. In a high school classroom, a speaker with Volunteers
for Adoption Education provides students with vital facts. On a busy
expressway, a volunteer driver takes a pregnant woman to a medical
appointment. In a Chicago office building, a Finance Committee member
reviews an investment report.
Each April, National Volunteer Appreciation Month, we pause to thank
the more than 500 volunteers who assist The Cradle each year. If you
would like to get involved, please contact Lynne Firestone, Volunteer
Coordinator, at 847.733.3229, or lfirestone@cradle.org.
Alan and Peter Booth are twin brothers who were
born on February 28, 1943 and placed later that
year with their adoptive parents, Mary and Jack
Booth of Danbury, Connecticut. In celebration of their
65th birthday, they decided to pay a visit to The Cradle
in April – the first time they’d been back since their
adoption. Peter, who is a few minutes older than Alan,
was a community hospital CEO in Maine for over 30
years and resides in Kennebunk. Alan is a retired executive
of the Owens Corning Fiberglas Corp. and lives in
Tucson, Arizona. Their sister Karen Booth Hutchison,
adopted from The Cradle in 1944, lives in Travelers Rest,
South Carolina. Between the three siblings, there are 8
daughters, 2 sons, 7 grandsons, 2 granddaughters and 2
grandchildren to be born this summer.
Following the brothers’ visit, Peter wrote, “Returning to
The Cradle was the high point our birthday reunion in
Chicago. We were reminded of how blessed we were to
have had birth parents and adoptive parents who loved
us and cared greatly about our well-being. How fortunate
for the parents and children that The Cradle is there
for them at a most important time in their lives. The
Cradle and Mrs. Walrath certainly contributed positively
to a happy start in life for Alan and Peter Booth!”
Celebrating 85 Years of
Placing Children First

SUMMER EVENTS I Something for Everyone
Whether you’re a golfer, a horse racing enthusiast, an antique car buff, or someone who simply enjoys a good
party, The Cradle Foundation has an event for you. This summer we are offering a variety of fun-filled events
that generate essential support for The Cradle. We hope that you will join us for one or more of these
exceptional outings:
THE CRADLE CLASSIC: Our 8th annual
golf tournament will be held on Monday,
June 9th from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at
Conway Farms Golf Club in Lake Forest.
More than 100 golfers turn out for a
great day including lunch, 18 holes on an
award-winning course, challenging contests
with fabulous prizes, a raffle, silent
auction and post-tournament reception.
This year, legendary Chicago Bears running
back and Cradle dad Gale Sayers
plans to tee off with us in support of
adoption. Tickets are $600 per golfer;
$100 for the reception only.
60TH ANNUAL LAKE FOREST I Antique Auto Show
The Lake Forest/Lake Bluff Rotary Club is gearing up for its
annual Lake Forest Antique Auto Show on Sunday, July 20th,
with proceeds to benefit The Cradle. This premier family summer
entertainment is hosted by the 70 member local Rotary
Club in partnership with the Illinois Region of the Antique
Automobile Club of America.
Now in its 60th year, the Antique Auto Show features classic
vehicles and vintage sports cars with models from 1946 to 1983.
The crown jewel of this event will be a rarely-displayed “Car of
Tomorrow,” a Tucker sedan from 1948. The Auto Show will be
held at Deerpath Middle School in Lake Forest, and runs from
9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. General admission is $10.00.
Rotary, whose motto is “Service Above Self,” is an international
organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide
who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical
standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in
the world.
4 The Cradle Newsletter
A DAY AT THE RACES: This family-friendly
event, also in its 8th year, offers guests
of all ages an exciting afternoon of horse
racing and more at Arlington Park. Parents
will enjoy a gourmet lunch buffet before
placing their bets or bidding on terrific
auction items, while the little ones sample
from the children’s buffet or participate in
Kids’ Corner activities. The event will take
place on Sunday, June 29th from 12:30
to 5:00 p.m. Tickets are $80 per person
and $40 for children ages 4-11 (no charge
for children 3 and under).
LAKE FOREST ANTIQUE AUTO SHOW:
Hosted by the Lake Forest/Lake Bluff
Rotary Club, with proceeds benefiting
The Cradle, the Antique Auto Show will
be held on Sunday, July 20th from 9 a.m.
to 3 p.m. at Deerpath Middle School in
Lake Forest. See article below for further
details.
To learn more about Cradle Foundation
events, call 847.733.3234 or go to
www.cradle.org.
The Cradle is honored to have been selected by the Lake
Forest/Lake Bluff Rotary as the beneficiary of funds raised at the
Antique Auto Show. These funds will be used to purchase new
cribs for our onsite Nursery, which has been sheltering and nurturing
Cradle babies since 1923.
We are delighted that The Cradle’s 85th anniversary coincides
with the 60th anniversary of the Lake Forest Antique Auto Show,
and that we are partnering with Rotary this year to celebrate
these milestones while benefiting children.
For more information about the Antique Auto Show, visit
www.lakeforestcarshow.com.
A Tucker '48

A NIGHT OF PROMISE I Celebrates Russian Culture
Two key elements of Russian culture – music and food
– were highlighted at the third annual Night of Promise,
“Borscht & Balalaikas,” held on Saturday, April 26 at Abt
Electronics in Glenview. Co-sponsored by The Cradle Foundation
and the Cradle Cares Humanitarian Aid Program, A Night of
Promise raises funds to support children living in orphanages in
Russia.
More than 160 guests gathered in Abt’s spacious atrium to sip on
signature cocktails, bid on artwork created by children in Russian
orphanages and listen to Russian music. Golosá, a Russian folk
choir based at the University of Chicago, performed sacred and
secular Russian folk songs a capella. Russian music and song
ensemble Chicago Cossacks played traditional musical instruments
including the domra, balalaika and bayan.
Nine of Chicagoland’s top chefs – all of whom donated their time
and talent to our event – stationed themselves in the model kitchens
ringing the atrium and prepared a delectable variety of dishes,
including Russian favorites such as beef stroganoff, blini with caviar
and borscht with pelmeni dumplings. At the end of the evening,
each guest took home a goody bag that included a booklet of recipes
and description of Russian folk customs prepared by Cradle
Cares committee member Janet McDonald, along with an assortment
of sumptuous Russian candy donated by Janet.
Since the founding of Cradle Cares in 2004, the group has raised
more than $70,000 in direct aid to Russian orphanages for the
purchase of day-to-day essentials such as cribs, medication, space
heaters, fire escapes and updated plumbing. Last year, a grant from
Cradle Cares enabled an orphanage in Nizhny Novgorod to acquire
a van to transport the children safely to doctor and court visits.
Thanks to the generosity and hard work of everyone involved with
our 2008 Night of Promise, the evening raised $17,000 for the
Cradle Cares program. We are very grateful to Abt Electronics for
donating such a wonderful space for this event, and for extending
a discount to our guests who made purchases that night. We
would also like to recognize event chair Matt Zagorski and the
Night of Promise committee, as well as our volunteer chefs, whose
commitment made the evening a success. To our generous sponsors
and silent auction donors, we offer our sincere appreciation.
Top: Russia adoptive parents Scott and Nicole Olsen and Brandi
Talaga, also a Night of Promise committee member, enjoy the
festivities.
Above: Northshore Cookery of Highland Park set up their station in
this pretty Abt kitchen for the night.