CASSOPOLIS — Michigan Adoption Day, now in its 16th year, has become a tradition for many Michigan communities. Hosted each year on or about the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, the theme is “giving thanks for families.”

With over 30 counties participating annually, Michigan’s event is consistently one of the largest Adoption Day observances in the nation.

On Adoption Day, participating courts finalize adoptions, hold parties for adoptive families and educate the public about the adoption process. Michigan Adoption Day is co-sponsored by the Michigan Supreme Court, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Michigan Adoption Resource Exchange and the Child Welfare Services Division of the State Court Administrative Office.

Courthouses are rarely a place of happiness and celebration, but in Cass County at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 20, with the Honorable Susan L. Dobrich presiding, the courts hope to celebrate many happy occasions as part of Michigan Adoption Day 2018 – and educate the public about the many foster children who need permanent homes, said Cass County Law and Courts representatives.

This year’s celebration will feature a special guest speaker as Judge Stephen Borrello from the Michigan Court of Appeals will be in attendance.

The event will be hosted at the Cass County Law and Courts Building, located at 60296 M-62, Cassopolis. At the event, Cass County Courts will be finalizing adoptions and adoptive families whose adoptions were finalized earlier this year will also be attending.

For more information, call Kelley James-Jura at (269) 445-4454, ext. 2 or email kelleyj@cassco.org.