As part of National Adoption Day on Friday, Nov. 22, Lewis County Superior Court Judge J. Andrew Toynbee will finalize the adoptions of three children from foster care during a ceremony at the Lewis County Law and Justice Center in Chehalis.

The ceremony, hosted by Lewis County Superior Court and the Washington state Department of Children, Youth and Families, begins at 1:30 p.m., followed by a reception at 2:15 p.m. on the first floor of the Law and Justice Center in Chehalis.

Judge James W. Lawler, Judge Joely Yeager, Court Commissioner Paul Strophy, Superior Court Administrator Susie Palmateer, Assistant Superior Court Administrator Paula Willey, Juvenile Court Administrator Shad Hail, juvenile court dependency attorneys, child advocates and community stakeholders are all invited to attend and celebrate the adoption process.

This celebration is part of a nationwide effort to call special attention to the more than 108,000 foster children waiting in the United States for adoption, and to celebrate all loving families that adopt, Lewis County Superior Court said in a news release.

Currently, there are 4,890 foster children in Washington state, with 885 children legally free and waiting for adoption. In Region 6, which includes Lewis County, approximately 220 or more have permanently lost their parents and are waiting to be adopted, according to the news release.

Since 1987, the number of children in foster care nationally has doubled, and the average time a child remains in foster care has lengthened to nearly three years.

Each year, approximately 20,000 foster children will age out of the system without ever being with a permanent family.   

National Adoption Day is sponsored nationally by the Alliance for Children’s Rights, Casey Family Services, Children Action Network, Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and the Freddie Mac Foundation.

For more information, visit www.nationaladoptionday.org. 

Those interested in more information on becoming a foster parent can contact Elaine Peet of the Division of Licensing Resources at 360-807-7107. Those interested in becoming a court-appointed special advocate for a child can contact Lewis County Juvenile Court appointed guardian ad litem program coordinators at 360-740-2683 or 360-740-2688.