.D.
By ROBBIE CRU P- cCOV
p!C I to tM Mlchlfl!n Cltlan
D OIT - Bandele i an M-
rican male name, the transla
tion of which i "follow me
home", It' a pecial Sp ulding
project in ponse to the alarm
ing number of Black school a
children, particularly, males,
currently awaiting permanent
hom in the Detroit metropoli
tan area.
The group held a gigantic
celebration Sunday at the Hart
ford Memorial Baptist Church
in 0 rvance of the 25th anni
versary and titled Spaulding for
Children:
Directing the project were,
Rev. Wendell Anthony, pastor,
and Fellowship Chapel; Rev.
William Harri t pastor and
Grac Community; Rev. Car
lysle F. Stewart and Hope
United Methodist and St. Olaf
Evangelical Lutheran, Tillis B.
Butler, director of music.
The Bandele Agency partners
are Catholic Social Services of
Oakland County; Ennis Center
for Children; Evergreen Chil
dren's Center, Lula Belle Ste
wart Center; Lutheran
Adoption Services; Methodist
Children Services, Spectrum
Human Services; St. Francis!
Sara Fisher, Teen Ranch and
Wayne County.
BANDELE IS FU DED in '
part by a Federal ctJ1!.nt from
Health and Human Services, Of
fice of Children any Youth. It is
supported in a large way by
Wendy's International restau
rants. The founder Dave
Thomas recently accepted an
award from Spaulding Board
member, Joyce Hurst.
The 25th anniversary Sun
day was highlighted with a
goepelfest when the joyous cele
bration was highlighted with
singing by the Generation Choir
with Arthur Lee Merriwether
III directing; the Chancel Choir
of Hope United Methodist; the
St. Olaf Gospel Group; Hartford
Young Adult Choir; Grace Com
munity's Children's Choir and
Courville Elementary Concert
Choir with William Hines, direc
tor.
Rev. Diane Smalley-Norman
said the invocation; Alan Tump
kin greeted guests; Dr. Delbert
E. Gray, president of the board
of Spaulding, gave opening re
marks and Rev. Anthony gave
greetings. A testimony support
ing and praising the work of
Spaulding was given by Derrick
L. Lopez: adoptive parent; Mary
Lee Pearson and Dr. Charles G.
Adams gave closing remarks.
The main focus of Spaulding was
given as the development of col
laborative partnerships be
tween community churches and
agencies to educate, train and
recruit prospective adoptive
families for kids. In 1992, 576
Wayne County children were
adopted, but there are approxi
mately 1,300 still waiting.
In a letter to the group, Pier
ree Shepherd, adoptive son of
Mr. and Mrs. Alton Shepherd,
wrote from Cornell University
where he is a student, "It must
be by the gra of God that I'm
alive today and you are hearing
my tory. My life took a 360 de
gree turn from nowhere to
where I am today, after being
adopted by the Shepherds".
T CHILD E lected
by Spaulding are often victims of
neglect, abandonment, and
other forms of abu e, some are
wai ing in fos r hom ,for per
manent famili .
While the Sunday celebration
was an effort to honor families of
adop ions, it also was an effort
to find additional home for
other children. It cited African
Am riean mal the m t un
wanted foster children, and it's
aim also is to e the thinking
h.a the Black family does no
want to dop.
E t church p to involved
in a joint tatement id, "This
is n effort to hatter the reo
type th t Blacks don't adopt.
20021 W. Chicago, Grace Com
munity Church, and Rev. Harris
an wholistic approach to
Christianity, religion and 0 her
i u , as an inter-denomina
tional, inter-racial church with
a family orientation. It has sin
gl , couples and men's fellow
ship.
Hartford, 18700 Jame
Couzens, has Agape House, and
programs Achieve designed to
enrich youth like Big Brother,
Big Sister; Junior Achievement
and OASI otiv tion for Hi
choole .
Fello hip Cha 1, 19555 W.
Mc ichol , ha d t rt,
Ri te of Pa g Progr m,
G.E.D. Program; Afrocentric lit-
rature, Afri n Artifa nd
Alcoholic Anonymo program.
Hope United, 23795 Civic C n
ter Drive,also offe Ri ofP -
age program; entoring
program with Southfield High
School; Imani Institute, African
American Political Education
program and African American
League.,
All four churches have Bible
studie programs.
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