CRADLE Events - The Cradle
CRADLE Events - The Cradle
CRADLE Events - The Cradle
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POSTCARD l From Russia<br />
In late October, Judy Stigger, <strong>The</strong> <strong>Cradle</strong>’s recently<br />
appointed Director of International Adoption for<br />
Russia, and Merrilee Hepler, Vice President of Human<br />
Resources and Administration, traveled to Russia to visit<br />
our Moscow office and some of the regions in which <strong>The</strong><br />
<strong>Cradle</strong> is working. <strong>The</strong>ir goals included gaining a better<br />
understanding of the adoption process and what our families<br />
experience in country, and getting to know <strong>Cradle</strong><br />
staff in Russia. <strong>The</strong>y were pleased to be traveling with<br />
adoptive parents Scott and Meg Costello, who made this<br />
trip to finalize the adoption of their son Ilyin.<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Cradle</strong> Society in the Russian Federation was established<br />
in 2002, and since then, more than 200 Russian<br />
children have been placed with <strong>Cradle</strong> families in the<br />
United States. Valentina Krasnova directs a very dedicated<br />
staff of five in our Moscow office. Regional agents in<br />
the program’s five regions work closely with our families<br />
in a variety of ways, including taking them to the ministry<br />
for their referral and to the orphanage to see their child,<br />
meeting with physicians, and transporting them to and<br />
from the airport, train stations and their hotel. “I was<br />
delighted beyond my expectations with how competent<br />
and gracious our staff is,” said Judy. “<strong>The</strong>y are fluent<br />
both bilingually and culturally and go to extraordinary<br />
measures to help our families.”<br />
Judy and Merrilee visited an orphanage in the Smolensk<br />
region, around 250 miles west of Moscow. <strong>The</strong>y also traveled<br />
to the Republic of Buryatia in Siberia – a journey<br />
across five time zones! – and Judy went on to the city<br />
of Nizhny Novgorod on the Volga River, southeast of<br />
Moscow. In each region they met with ministry officials to<br />
discuss the child referral system, and to let the officials<br />
know that <strong>The</strong> <strong>Cradle</strong>’s staff in Russia is supported both<br />
organizationally and emotionally by an agency in the U.S.<br />
committed to the welfare of Russian children. “We came<br />
to learn,” Judy explained, “not to dictate standards.”<br />
Although there was precious little time for sightseeing,<br />
our travelers did what Merrilee referred to as the “Cliffs<br />
Notes Tour” of Moscow one Sunday afternoon with<br />
<strong>Cradle</strong> Russia translator/interpreter Oleg Derendyaev.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y enjoyed a stroll around Red Square and admired<br />
the Kremlin’s imposing facade. Another highlight of the<br />
trip was having the privilege of joining Scott and Meg for<br />
their final court appearance. <strong>The</strong> Costellos brought Ilyin<br />
home on October 25.<br />
Judy and Merrilee at the Cathedral of St. Basil in Moscow’s Red Square.<br />
Moscow staff member Oleg Derendyaev captivates a baby at the orphanage<br />
in Smolensk.<br />
ON THE HOME FRONT<br />
Here in Evanston, Judy’s team includes Russia Program Specialist Sue<br />
Petersen and Administrative Assistant Elizabeth Squires. Currently, there<br />
are 25 families enrolled in <strong>The</strong> <strong>Cradle</strong> Russia program. On January 20,<br />
2007, <strong>The</strong> <strong>Cradle</strong> will be hosting a festive Russia Holiday Party for families<br />
with children from Russia at White Nights restaurant in Rosemont.<br />
In April, the <strong>Cradle</strong> Cares Humanitarian Assistance Program will be<br />
hosting its second annual “Night of Promise” benefit to raise funds for<br />
Russian orphanages in the regions where <strong>The</strong> <strong>Cradle</strong> works. <strong>The</strong> generosity<br />
of <strong>Cradle</strong> Cares donors enabled the orphanage in Smolensk to<br />
purchase space heaters, furniture and kitchen equipment.<br />
10 <strong>The</strong> <strong>Cradle</strong> Newsletter