Wendy's founder Dave Thomas, himself an adoptee, lent his support at a reception at the Toronto Hilton. He presented the cheque to Pat Fenton (ACC co-chair), and Judy Grove (ACC Executive Director) at the June 1 reception. Wendy's is a long-time supporter of adoption-related causes. Wendy's and the Dave Thomas Foundation have been supporting the ACC's "Canada's Waiting Children" program, which searches for permanent adoptive homes for Canadian children.

There are an estimated 70,000 children in Canada's child welfare system, of which 20,000 are legally free to be adopted. Despite this, only about 1,300 children are adopted per year.

Adoption Council of Canada, 613-235-0344, 1-888-54-ADOPT, acc@adoption.ca, www.adoption.ca

Judy Grove honoured -- Judy Grove, of the Adoption Council of Canada has received the Lillian Brooks Lansberry Award for excellence in adoption work. The award was presented at the Adoption Exchange Assn. (Denver CO, 303-755-2806) conference held in Niagara Falls, Ont. Sept. 19-21, 2002.

The award honours a local adoption worker for extraordinary efforts to connect waiting children with loving families. The award recipient's organization is to use the money to do something special for one (or siblings) of the children they are working with toward permanency.

Commenting on the award, Sandra Scarth, chair of the Adoption Council of Canada said, "Not only does Judy deserve this award for all the work she has done to develop and expand Canada's Waiting Children program, but for the efforts she has made over the years to create greater public awareness of the need for permanent families for children in care. Because of these efforts, a Canadian child or children will benefit from the Lansberry's gift."

Lillian Brooks Lansberry, MSW was a staunch advocate working tirelessly to help place children living in foster care into permanent adoptive families. Author of many publications on multiethnic and special needs adoption, she served on the boards of adoption-related organizations, and was vice-president of AEA, an organization of adoption professionals. Charles Lansberry established the award in 2001.