Bayside church to host adoption event

MANATEE COUNTY — Four-year-old Matt Vanderford smiles a wide, toothy grin as he climbs into his father’s lap.

In moments, both are laughing, as Scott Vanderford tickles his son’s sides.

More than six months after being adopted from an orphanage in Uganda, Matt Vanderford already seems to have adjusted well to his new life, where he enjoys cooking with his mother, helping his dad with yard work and watching his older siblings perform in the band at Braden River High School.

“He’s a chatterbox, just like our other kids,” Matt’s mom, Cyndee, says.

In celebration of November as Adoption Awareness Month, Bayside Community Church’s Bridge a Life Ministry will host an adoption-awareness event this weekend to provide information about the growing need for adoptions and the current status of international and domestic adoptions to prospective adoptive families. The Adoption Awareness Event will be held from 6:30-8 p.m. Nov. 11, at Bayside Community Church, 15800 S.R. 64 E., Bradenton.

“It’s going to give people real information about what it’s like to adopt,” Cyndee Vanderford said. “There are so many children that need a home. (This gives) people the information and lets them make decisions based on facts, not just what they’ve heard.”

Attendees of the event will hear from Sharon Bradshaw of Florida Home Studies and Adoptions about international adoptions, as well as from local attorney Scott Hamilton about domestic adoptions. Additionally, Heart Gallery of Sarasota will be on site and will be bringing professional portraits of older children, who are available for adoption locally.

“Our heart is to connect (Christian) families who have a heart for adoption to Christian professionals that provide adoption services,” event organizer Tony Gamelin said. “Usually, when it comes to adoption, there’s a lot of misinformation out there, and we really want to try to break down those barriers.

“There are 150 million orphans in the world,” he said. “These kids had no say in the matter. They were born into a situation where they have been abandoned, neglected or abused, and our passion is to get them connected with a forever family, where they can be nurtured and loved.”

The Bridge of Life Ministry, which exists to “ensure abused, abandoned, neglected or otherwise orphaned children thrive in Christ-centered families,” works to educate the public about the needs of foster and adoptive children and to provide support for families who care for them.

Registration for the event is preferred but not required, and food and childcare for children in fifth grade or younger is provided.

Interested individuals can register online at www.thejoyfm.com or e-mail [email protected].

For more information, visit www.baysidecommunity.org.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].

Adoption Awareness Event
WHEN: 6:30-8 p.m. Nov. 11
WHERE: Bayside Community Church, 15800 S.R. 64 E.
REGISTRATION: www.thejoyfm.com family event calendar or e-mail [email protected].