Current Events

Announcements

ATTENTION TO BELARUS FAMILIES:

The Belarus Embassy has been completing updates on families throughout the country over the past two years. IAG has hosted and/or facilitated several meetings between representatives from the Embassy and families who have adopted from Belarus. We have been hearing that the Embassy also has been contacting families by phone and/or letter asking for recent information regarding their family and child. The information that they are asking for is very basic in nature and certainly contains much less than the information you provide for a post placement report. They essentially just want to know how your child is doing! Most families have been more than happy to complete the requested forms and several have met with the Embassy representative in their homes. We encourage families to participate in this program but your cooperation is completely voluntary.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the IAG offices directly.

Upcoming Events

The 22nd Pittsburgh International Children's Festival will be held from May 14-18, 2008. The festival is wonderful for groups or individual families. For the first time the festival will be held in the Oakland part of Pittsburgh. www.pghkids.org.

IAG KENNYWOOD PARK REUNION

IAG has confirmed that we will hold our reunion at Kennywood Park on Monday July 21, 2008. We will once again meet at Pavilion #8 for a catered meal and a full day of fun for children of all ages. Ticket prices and a schedule of events will be posted in March 2008. Kennywood Park's website can be visited at www.kennywood.com.

Barynya

Russian music, dance and song ensemble Barynya established in 1991 in New York City. Full company consist of 8 dancers, 6 musicians and four singers. Artistic Director Mikhail Smirnov. Barynya presents Russian, Cossack, Ukrainian, Russian Gypsy dancing, music, songs, virtuoso performances on balalaika, garmoshka (Russian folk button accordion), balalaika contrabass, bayan accordion, Gypsy guitar, violin, domra. Narration of the program in English if requested. Russian dance and music workshops, traditional story-teller are also available.

Schedule of upcoming performances

Recent Events

IAG New England Summer Picnic Fun
By Debbie Salvas

The IAG New England Picnic was held on Saturday September 15, 2007 at Wolfe Park in Monroe, CT. Debbie, Doug and Marina Salvas (Age 4, St. Petersburg Baby Home #7) hosted this event. Despite a rainy and cold start, the day turned out to be beautiful.

17 families with 29 children from Connecticut, New York and New Jersey attended. The children had a great time at the playground, getting their faces painted and being amazed by "Bill the Magician" who made balloon animals for everyone. We also shared Russian food including Sirniki (Half Dollar Sized Pancakes), Russian Spice Cake and Beet Salad. We also enjoyed cookies and candies from Belarus, brought by Pavel Shidlovsky, a Representative from the Belarus Embassy, and his son.

We had beautiful weather and a nice time catching up with old IAG friends and meeting new ones. The next get-together will be a Creative Memories Workshop - "Celebrate Memories of Your Child's Adoption" on Sunday, October 7th in Trumbull, CT. Teresa Feher, Creative Memories Consultant (and IAG family) will show us different ways to preserve our memories and create family keepsake to share with our child(ren). Call Debbie Salvas for details at (203) 452-7395.

Pavel Shidlovsky of the Belarus Embassy
chats with Bonnie and Ryan Wunsch

To view and purchase photographs from the 2007 White Nights Event, please click on: www.photo-now.com Once you are in the site, click where it says "Current Clients" and then to International Assistance Group, Inc. Photographs can be purchased directly from the photographer, not from IAG.