Park Hill’s Angel in Adoption: Pam Sweetser

 

By Sue Vanderberg

 

After 22 years of passion, dedication and lots of hard work, Heritage Camps for Adoptive Families (HCAF) and Pam Sweetser its executive director have received the recognition they so strongly deserve both nationally and locally. HCAF provides families with adopted children from diverse heritages resources and advocacy through summer camps held in Colorado each year. The camps provide opportunities for families to share their common experiences with other families “just like them” and to learn more about the rich cultural heritage of their children. In 2013, HCAF reached the milestone of 1,000 families attending camps.

Pam Sweetser was nominated by Senator Michael Bennet and awarded the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute’s 2013 Angels in Adoption award. She was honored in Washington, DC, this October with an awards ceremony and gala celebration weekend. Senator Bennet wrote that Pam’s work has “inspired families and communities to celebrate our adopted children, and ensure that parents are equipped with the resources and support they need to continue to grow strong families and provide adopted children with the opportunity to find strength in their roots, and a sense of belonging in both their own families and the families they build at camp.”

Locally, HCAF received Denver Mayor Hancock’s Diversity Award as a result of its nomination by the Denver Asian Pacific American Commission. HCAF received the award in a private ceremony in October. The local award is especially meaningful as it recognizes what HCAF has done for diversity in Colorado and many of the people associated with the Commission have supported camps as both community volunteers and counselors.

From the beginning, the Park Hill community has had strong ties with HCAF, being heavily involved in planning committees, as members of the Board of Directors and from the many adoptive families in the neighborhood who have attended camp. The camps continue to evolve as many of the adopted children who formerly attended camps volunteer as counselors and the camps now provide programs for adult adoptees to attend with their families. In addition to the many camps for families created through foreign adoption, a new camp provides a diverse environment for families created through domestic adoption.

For Pam, the best thing about the awards and recognition is the additional exposure created that she hopes will bring more kids to camp next year.

For more information on Heritage Camps for Adoptive Families, visit heritagecamps.org.