Golf Tournament Postponed but National Adoption Day will be Held as Planned

November 13, 2009

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Baylor Law School's Public Interest Legal Society is postponing its golf tournament, originally scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 15, but will hold its National Adoption Day event as planned on Nov. 20. The tournament will be re-scheduled in the spring.

The Adoption Day event will be held at Baylor Law School from 1 to 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20, in room 127. The adoption hearings will be conducted by Judge Gary Coley, said Bridget M. Fuselier, associate professor of law and faculty sponsor of the Public Interest Society.

"Last year was the first year for the Public Interest Legal Society to be involved in Adoption Day," Fuselier said. "The students and I coordinate everything with McLennan County Office of Child Protective Services,; we secure donations from the community, present gift baskets to the families and have a reception in their honor. This year, we plan to have 14 children who have their adoptions finalized."

Baylor Law's Public Interest Legal Society was started in August 2006 by students Joshua Borderud and Brandon Kinard as a way for students to live out the portion of Baylor Law's mission statement that stresses "a commitment to public service and leadership within one's community and profession, a commitment to ensuring meaningful public access to our system of justice."

The society has more than 50 members, who work in community service opportunities, from Catholic Charities immigration services to the Salvation Army soup kitchen. As a group, they help with National Adoption Day and with the People's Law School.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of National Adoption Day, a national day of celebration of adoptive families and an opportunity for courts to open their doors and finalize the adoptions of children from foster care. Since 2000, more than 25,000 children have had their adoptions finalized on National Adoption Day. Each year, November is recognized as National Adoption Awareness Month. While all adoption-related issues are important, the particular focus of this month is the adoption of children currently in foster care.

For more information, email Fuselier. Donations to support National Adoption Day can be sent to Baylor Law School, One Bear Place #97288, Waco, Texas 76798-7288.

Contact: Julie Carlson, Baylor Law School, (254) 710-6681