Tuesday, May 28, 2013



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Adoptive Families Association of BC
200 / 7342 Winston St., Burnaby, BC  V5A 2H1
T: 604-320-7330 F:604-320-7350 www.bcadopt.com



Last Mile Auction
Last Mile Online Auction
AFABC’s Last Mile Auction is back! Great items are available in your community for a summer's worth of fun: date nights, family fun, adventure, golf, spa packages, and much more! And the bidding process couldn't be simpler. You don't even have to leave your chair!

Don’t miss your chance to participate in this exciting online event, open through June 2nd.  Bid on great prizes while supporting adoptive families and youth across the province.  All proceeds raised go toward supporting AFABC's crucial programs and services. It's a win/win as we cross the finish line together!
 


Sunday, June 19, 2011

National Aboriginal Day in the Comox Valley


National Aboriginal Day Celebration - June 21st

A day long celebration of First Nations Culture and Achievement. This free family friendly event is open to the whole Comox Valley! 

Presented by Komoks First Nation, Kumugwe Cultural Society, I-Hos Gallery and Vancouver Island MusicFest 

Celebrate the summer solstice along the beautiful shores of the Courtenay Estuary. Enjoy tasty local food like traditional Sockeye Salmon cooked on cedar sticks on an open fire. Clam Chowder, ...Buffalo Stwe, Bannock and crepes. Bring a blanket or a lawn chair for the live music from 6-8. Keep in the mind the cool winds off the ocean and bring along a nice warm sweater! 

Events Include:
All Day - Guest Artist, George Littlechild at the I-Hos Gallery
2:30 - 3pm Free Jiggers Workshop for family and youth in the band hall by Lisa Shepherd
3-4 Kumugwe Dancers in Big House
4-5 Lisa Shepherd and dance troupe in the Big House
5- 5:30 Ray Peters and his Coast Salish dancers Tzinqua from Duncan
6-8 Vancouver Island Music Fest presents live music with Ed Peekeekoot and Janet Blythe Panic!



To check out this event go to their website here

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Upcoming Vancouver Workshop

Check out or register for this upcoming workshop in Vancouver called Keepers of the Children: Native American Wisdom and Parenting.
You can register at www.eventbrite.com

Keepers of the Children offers a unique perspective on parenting by using little known Native American concepts to show parents how to raise children to reach their true potential. By raising children to unfold the gifts within their hearts, parents more deeply touch their own. In this way, parenting is a path of mutual becoming—as the child grows, the parent is challenged to grow as well. This is a delightful perk of child stewardship.
In Keepers of the Children: Native American Wisdom and Parenting, you will learn:
• How to encourage children's uniqueness and set them upon the path of purpose from the start.
• How to teach children to act from integrity and strength.
• The true meaning of discipline: How to teach children to make life-affirming choices on their own.
• How to use nature to teach children the basics of psychology so they will avoid the traps of peer pressure and those who intend to do them harm.
• All about child development and your development as a parent.
• How parenting is a path of personal growth for child and parent.
• How to create a lifelong, mutually fulfilling relationship with your child

June 23rd, 9:30 - 3:30 pm

June 24th, 9:30 - 3:30 Lunch Included both days

Laura Ramirez is the mother of two boys and the wife of a Native American man. In raising her children to embrace the fullness of their heritage, she has created a way of parenting that combines the most resourceful aspects of two worlds. Ms. Ramirez has a degree in psychology, has written numerous articles on raising children and is the publisher of Family Matters Parenting Magazine.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

First Nations/Metis Adoption Family Camp






Well, the First Nations/Metis family camp discussed in the last post on this blog has come and gone. It was small but awesome. Thanks to the families with children by adoption who came, and especially thanks to the First Nations people who came and supported us in this camp. They encouraged and inspired us and shared stories that we won't forget.
We hope to do it again sometime soon.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

First Nations/Metis Family Camp

There will be a family camp for families with children of First Nations/Metis heritage to be held this coming March 4th to 6th on Quadra Island. If you are family who'd like to come, or a person of First Nations heritage who'd like to volunteer please contact me at cgilbert@bcadoption.com or at 1-866-334-3873.
It is likely that the camp will fill quickly, so let me know as soon as you know and we can complete the registration process.
thank you

Saturday, June 19, 2010

things have changed

How things have changed. We adopted two sons of First Nations ancestry many years ago. The first one moved into our home in 1990. At that time things were handled differently. We still had a home study done, but there was a very limited adoption education program (not like the one MCFD now provides to adoptive parents) and when we adopted our son of First Nations ancestry there was no culture plan created. In fact we received very limited information about his birth mother's home community in northern BC. When we adopted his birth sibling a few years later there was still no culture plan, but we did receive a letter supporting the adoption from their community and a band newsletter.
Now adoptions of children of First Nations ancestry to non First Nations homes are more rare. And those that do take place do so with a culture plan.
It's not perfect but it's a step in the right direction.
Would I do things differently for my sons if I were adopting them now? You bet. But I can't turn back the clock. And I did what I could with the resources and knowledge I had. We all need to do that.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Family Camp

I am hoping to plan an adoption family camp for families who have adopted children of First Nations/Metis ancestry. This camp will take place this winter sometime, likely on Quadra Island at a camp there. If anyone is interested in helping with any aspect of this camp I'd love to hear from you. I have no additional funds to help create a cultural component, but that's what would be great to create. So if anyone has suggestions I'd love to hear them.