2001 Angel in Adoption Awardees - Pound Pup Legacy

with social workers. She feels that God has given her a unique gift to provide for children who have medical,physical and emotional challenges.Mary L. WilkinsSen. Carl LevinWhen moms and dads falter, James and Mary Wilkins step in to rescue the children involved. Despite theiradvancing years, the fun-loving foster parents have opened their home to more than eighty abused and neglectedyoungsters. Some children have stayed for days, while others have lived with them for years. After twenty years ofchanging diapers and mending broken hearts, the Wilkins’ have retired as foster parents and have adopted three fosterchildren. Most of the foster children that James and Mary had still keep in contact with them.The Wilkins are very special people because they accepted children with a wide range of behaviors, and ages frombirth to seventeen. Mrs. Wilkins said that she and her husband embraced kids with love and let them know they had areal home. Mr. Wilkins recently passed away of a heart attack.MinnesotaGene and Becky LoureyRep. OberstarBy their example, Gene and Becky Lourey have opened their hearts and their home to children in need. Over theyears, they have adopted eight children from the United States and abroad. Many of the children had significantphysical and emotional challenges.Fernando, who was nearly killed by an earthquake in Guatemala, became their son at age five. Leah, whose birthmother died in her arms in Korea, became their daughter at age thirteen. Ben, who had a fractured skull and wasunable to speak, joined the family at age five. Eight more children make up this extraordinary family, biological andadopted.William and Lauren SchneiderRep. Bill LutherIn March of 1999, Dr. Bill and Linda Schneider were in search of a child to adopt. They received a message from anattorney representing a Hungarian mother who wished to place her child up for adoption. At the attorney’s request,the Schneider’s flew to New York to meet baby Nikolett with the understanding that her adoption was to beexpedited. The Schneider’s then expressed their wishes to adopt baby Nikolett. The adoption was not an easy orshort process, but eventually the Schneider’s were given temporary custody of baby Nikolett.In January of 2000, after the biological mother’s approval, the Schneider’s were allowed to adopt baby Nikolett.Though this move should have finalized the adoption, the Hungarian government made a claim that the child shouldbe brought back to Hungary and placed in a government orphanage. For over six months, the US State Departmentand the Hungarian government were at a standstill regarding the status of baby Nikolett.In August of 2000, almost 18 months after their first contact with Nikolett, the INS finally granted Nikolett an orphanpetition, permitting the Schneiders to finalize the adoption. Baby Nikolette became Nikki Schneider and a US citizenon October 2000, at a swearing-in ceremony in Minneapolis.MississippiChristopher (Chris) M. CherneySen. Trent LottChris Cherney, an adoptee himself, has devoted his thirty-year career to child welfare and advocacy. His parentswere social workers, who adopted him and his three siblings. His entire life has truly been a product of adoption.Chris and his wife Sue, who is executive director of Southern Christian Services for Children and Youth, have caredfor foster children in their own home. They have two biological children and three grandchildren.Chris has served as they executive director of the Mississippi Children’s Home Society since 1978, expanding theagency from primarily an adoption agency to a multi-service organization that meets the needs for children andfamilies. The organization does this, not only through adoption and maternity care, but also through family