First look: Display at YMCA educates people about adoption, foster parenting

Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Sharon Ray, circuit manager of the 33rd Judicial Circuit of the Missouri Children's Division, straightens a portrait of the 2012 Missouri Adoption Heart Gallery, which will be available for viewing through Saturday at the YMCA of Southeast Missouri in Sikeston. Leonna Heuring, Staff

SIKESTON -- Local families looking to adopt children can begin their search through a display this week in Sikeston.

On Monday, employees with the 33rd Judicial Circuit of the Missouri Children's Division set up the 2012 Missouri Adoption Heart Gallery for viewing through Saturday at the YMCA of Southeast Missouri in Sikeston.

"It's a moving gallery and will be some place else next week," said Brenda Miller, adoption specialist for the 33rd Judicial Circuit of the Missouri Children's Division.

Sponsored by the Missouri Children's Division, the innovative gallery is a resource for recruiting adoptive families for children in foster care who are awaiting adoption. Each child's first name and first initial of their last name are printed on their portraits.

The gallery on display at the YMCA features 36 portraits of individual children and/or siblings from the Southeast Missouri and St. Louis regions. It can be viewed during the YMCA's regular hours of operation, which are 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. today through Friday and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

"This is the second consecutive year the gallery is being displayed at the YMCA," Miller said.

Set up in different locations throughout the state, the gallery will be at the New Madrid County Courthouse in New Madrid from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. June 11 to June 15; at the Bread Co. in Poplar Bluff June 18-22; and at the Hickory Log in Dexter June 25-29.

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