First, I am pleased and proud to announce the formation of the ARC-CT Parents Committee! This group held their first meeting on Saturday, July 30 and lots of wonderful and exciting ideas were presented. The Parent’s Committee is being formed to provide a means for ARC-CT adoptive families to channel their energies and ideas for programming, events, fundraising and outreach. The Parent’s Association has targeted three initial projects which they will be coordinating:

1. Needs Assessment and Time and Talent Survey. The Parents Committee wants to know what your family needs. We also want to know what you wish to share. Within the next few weeks you will receive an email with a survey. We sincerely hope you will take the time to provide us with your input! We truly appreciate your time and opinions. Future Parent Association projects will take into account the results from this survey. YOUR OPINION AND PERSPECTIVE TRULY MATTER!
2. Adoption Awareness Month Open House. November is Adoption Awareness Month. The Parent’s Committee has decided to host an Open House at ARC-CT on November 5. In the weeks to follow you will hear from a member of the Parent’s Committee regarding the Open House. We hope you will consider giving of your time. This is going to be a truly wonderful community event.
3. ARC-CT Holiday Party. Save the Date: December 3, 2005! The ARC-CT Parent’s Committee has graciously offered to coordinate the Holiday Party! This event is getting so big and we really need many hands to keep this event running smoothly.

Last, but not least – we have a new and significantly improved web site – please take a moment to visit us at www.arcct.org On the site, there is a page for the Adoptive Parents Committee, there is a wonderful reading and reference page which lists our entire lending library, and there are some wonderful photos from our 2005 picnic (just to mention a few of the exciting updates…). We’d love your feedback on the new site so please come by and visit! A HUGE THANK YOU to Gene Ambeau Consulting for a WONDERFUL job on our new site!

Finally, thank you to all of our clients who have stepped forward to help. We at ARC-CT are truly grateful for your enthusiasm, your expertise, your time and your care. What a wonderful community we have! Thank you all - from the bottom of my heart.

Penny