Adoption Network Cleveland is incredibly lucky to have an energetic core of volunteers which add greatly to the capacity of the organization and our ability to provide services. Our General Discussion Meeting and Support Group Facilitators are an especially committed group of volunteers – they give of their own time, energy, and spirit to provide support for others through facilitating our meetings each month. It takes an individual with a patient ear, calming demeanor, and understanding heart to guide others in an exercise of listening to perspectives. For those who have attended a General Discussion Meeting, DNA Discovery Support Group, or Birth Mother Support Group, it can be an empowering and thought-provoking experience. They provide both a safe space to be among those who understand your adoption experience and also, at the same time, challenge long-held beliefs about ourselves and other members of the adoption constellation.
We would like to say, “THANK YOU!” to each of our facilitators – you are changing lives and building an essential community of support.
As a way to provide an introduction to our facilitators for those of you who may not have been to a meeting or a meeting with different facilitators, we asked all of our facilitators to share a bit about themselves and why they choose to be a volunteer facilitator.
We are grateful to Becky Drinnen and Oliver Leembruggen for their willingness to use their facilitator experience to expand the support offerings at Adoption Network Cleveland. With the wide use of at-home DNA testing, the need for a support group for individuals who have experienced a DNA surprise, both adoption and non-adoption related, became apparent in recent years. Becky and Oliver stepped up to offer their expertise and start a new group. Based on our General Discussion Meeting model, the focus of the DNA Discovery Support Group is the emotional journey and not the technical aspects. Both Becky and Oliver have facilitated General Discussion Meetings before agreeing to be the facilitators for this new group which takes place on the first Tuesday of each month at 8:00 pm ET. If you are interested in attending one a DNA Discovery Support Group meeting, you can find the next meeting on our calendar.
Becky Drinnen
How are you personally connected to the adoption community?
I am an Ohio adoptee and a kinship care provider for my great-grandson.
How did you become involved with Adoption Network Cleveland?
I reached out to Adoption Network Cleveland to ask questions about reaching out to birth family. I had an enlightening conversation with then-search expert Linda Bellini. She gave me the guidance I needed and suggested other ways I could get involved with the adoption community. I was happy and proud to help with the successful effort to change Ohio’s birth certificate access laws for adoptees.
What keeps you involved with Adoption Network Cleveland?
Adoption Network Cleveland offers such a unique set of services to people impacted by adoption and foster care. I am happy to have the opportunity to volunteer for this great organization!
How long have you been a General Discussion Meeting facilitator?
Since 2014. I was one of the co-facilitators for the in-person Dayton General Meeting when ANC expanded to Dayton.
What do you like most about being a facilitator?
Adoption brings so much complexity to the lives of everyone impacted. I’m happy to play a role in giving others a place to discuss all of the issues around adoption and DNA discoveries with other people who “get it.”
What has been the most meaningful or “ah-ha!” moment that you have experienced in a meeting?
The most powerful moments I have experienced are the moments when I can see shared understanding when someone from another part of the adoption constellation shares their experience. I love that our meetings are open to all people impacted by adoption. As an adoptee, I’ve learned so much from listening to birth mothers share their experiences.
Has being a facilitator made you see your own experiences in a different light? If so, how?
Being a facilitator has given me a window into the experiences of so many different people. Every single experience is unique, yet we share so many common feelings. Being part of a community of people who are committed to exploring everything that adoption has meant to their lives has given me the tools I need to dig deeply into my own experience.
What is your best advice for someone who is new to a Meeting or thinking about coming to their first meeting?
No words can adequately express the validation and the healing that happens when you are in a room of others who understand how it feels to navigate all of the complexities adoption brings to our lives. These meetings will meet you wherever you are in your journey, whether you’re ready to talk about your experience or if you just need to listen to others. There is power in community. I hope you’ll give a meeting a try. You will be welcomed.
Oliver Leembruggen
How are you personally connected to the adoption community?
I am a Filipino adoptee who was relinquished soon after birth and adopted by Dutch Indonesian family.
How did you become involved with Adoption Network Cleveland?
After decades of “traditional” methods of searching, I finally matched with family members through my DNA results. Once I had results in hand, I didn’t know what to do next. I’m an engineer and needed the correct formula to have the best reunion. I scoured all the books in the library. I found that each story was different and that there is no set formula. I started to seek out support groups that would be able to provide me with more tools. I attended the Dayton meeting and began my journey with Adoption Network Cleveland.
What keeps you involved with Adoption Network Cleveland?
ANC has provided me with many tools, and more importantly, many friends. As more and more people delve into their genetic history, I feel led to be a part of the conversation. I remember how I felt when I found out, AND I remember how much it helped to talk to people who understand.
How long have you been a General Discussion Meeting facilitator?
I have been facilitating meetings for about two years.
What do you like most about being a facilitator?
The opportunity to be “in the room” with so many different perspectives and to be a part of the conversation.
What has been the most meaningful or “ah-ha!” moment that you have experienced in a meeting?
When that shy first-timer willingly shares their story and trusts the rest of the group with their emotional vulnerabilities.
Has being a facilitator made you see your own experiences in a different light? If so, how?
Facilitating has provided greater perspective and better clarity in my own experiences.
What is your best advice for someone who is new to a Meeting or thinking about coming to their first meeting?
You are with people who understand. Come with all that you have. You are welcome here.
