This year, instead of hosting an Eastern European Adoption Celebration, or our Bulgaria Open House, MLJ Adoptions invites you to celebrate May Day and adopting from Eastern Europe with us!
May Day is a historic spring celebration throughout Europe. It is characterized by baskets of flowers given to one’s neighbors, and depending on the country, traditions may include a maypole, complete with ribbons and dancers. While the holiday itself has been celebrated throughout Europe since the Roman Republic era, the Catholic Church created its own festivities to coincide with a secular cultural holiday. Countries such as Bulgaria, England, Finland, Germany, Ireland and Romania celebrate the tradition in different ways.
This year, MLJ Adoptions invites you to celebrate May Day with us! The May Day Celebration is one of the cultural events that we host throughout the year for our families. These cultural events help families continue to build community with one another and to celebrate their child’s culture. Even if your adoptive children have not yet joined your family, the May Day Celebration provides an opportunity to meet families who have traveled to Bulgaria and can share their experiences with you. We will have May Day crafts, music and activities starting at 2PM on May 16th at our Indianapolis offices. We will provide snacks and drinks for families.
Prior to the party, families are invited to attend an Affording Adoption Seminar led by MLJ Adoptions’ Financial Resources Coordinator, Camie Schuiteman. In this seminar, Camie will share helpful tips on affording adoption appropriate for families at any point in their international adoption journey. She will discuss fundraising methods, how to write a fundraising letter and successful grant applications among many other topics.
For families interested in beginning an international adoption from Bulgaria, we will be holding an initial adoption information session. Chief Executive Officer, Nicole Skellenger and Program Director, Lydia Tarr will answer prospective adoptive parents’ questions about adopting from Eastern Europe. The Eplion family will also be present to discuss their Bulgaria adoption experience. The session will cover general information, have a process overview for adoption from Bulgaria and provide time for questions and answers. We encourage you to bring your questions!
May 16th, 2015
Affording Adoption Seminar 9:30-11:30AM
Initial Information Seminar 11:30-1:30PM
May Day Celebration 2-4PM
All events will be hosted at MLJ’s Indianapolis Offices.