WILLMAR -- A new support group for families touched by adoption has started in Willmar.
The group seeks to fill a need seen by adoptive families in the area for some time, according to Joanna Schrupp and Sara Carlson, organizers of the group. Both have children who are adopted.
The group's next meeting will be a potluck picnic at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Miller Park, located at 11th Street Southwest and Kandiyohi Avenue in Willmar. Bring a dish to share and your own utensils.
The group is open to any families touched by adoption, including domestic or international adoptions, adoption of foster children or other situations. Those who are considering adoption or those who are waiting to bring their adopted children home are also welcome.
Those who are waiting for their children will find people who understand the difficulties of that in the group.
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"There's nothing more challenging than waiting," Carlson said. "They are no less your child while you are waiting."
The group has had one previous meeting, attended by nearly 20 people representing nine families. Part of the plan for Saturday is a discussion about what people want from the group and how they want to organize it.
Many people don't realize "how many families choose to expand their families or start their families through adoption," Carlson said.
The families involved will dictate the direction of the support group and the types of meetings it has, the women said.
Some local families have offered to be liaisons for families entering different types of adoption situations, Schrupp said.
The group is associated with Minnesota Adoption Support and Preservation in Minneapolis, which provides resources to help members with challenging questions and could help find speakers.
For more information about the group and for notification of meetings, contact willmaradoptiongroup@yahoo.com .
