Former Ch. 9 Reporter raised $10,000 to travel to Bulgaria to                                                                         advocate for orphans in need of forever families

We will chronicle life for orphans in Bulgaria and the recent changes in the government which is giving them renewed opportunities to go to forever families in the United States.  Vice Minister of Justice Ilonka Raichinova whom Bulgarians call ‘The Angel’ will be touring the orphanages with us and giving us a window into the renewed adoption process in Bulgaria; she is the woman behind the reform and she is giving such promise to the orphans of Bulgaria.   In addition, we will be following teenagers who were adopted from Bulgaria as toddlers as they travel back to their native country and volunteer in the orphanages they once lived in.  Producing this documentary will translate into these children finding forever families... and you can be a part of that.

Some Background ...

In March 2002, Mariah Gray Kolpek and her husband traveled to Bulgaria to bring home a spirited toddler with chocolate brown eyes.  It took time, but eventually the little boy they named Carter settled in with his new family and embraced his new life away from the Bulgarian orphanage so far away.   Three years later, the Kolpeks submitted paperwork to complete another adoption from Bulgaria only to be disappointed when the country closed adoptions and failed them and the orphaned children of Bulgaria.

For the past three years Bulgaria’s adoption process has slowed to a virtual stop.  But now, at least for the next 18 months everything has changed it has changed because of Ilonka Raichinova.  Raichinova is the top government official

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in charge of Bulgaria’s welfare system for children.  Since she took office the adoption commission has met weekly to refer children to waiting families, before that they were meeting once every six months.  Raichinova is determined to make vast changes on behalf of Bulgarian orphans in the eighteen precious months she has left in her high office.

This is a story worth telling.   Mariah Gray Kolpek, will be going to Bulgaria to produce a documentary about the future for Bulgaria’s children... a future that could give many childless couples in the United States sons and daughters and mostly importantly Bulgarian children their own homes.   Ilonka Raichinova has agreed to shared her compelling story and show the conditions of Bulgaria’s orphanages and the promise she will deliver on behalf of Bulgaria’s children.  The trip will cost $10,000.  Mariah and her colleagues are volunteering all their time and equipment.   We are asking for donations for travel expenses and expenses in Bulgaria ONLY. 

Incredible Response!!

May 17, 2008 -Update

Since this launch less than a month ago the response has been incredible. We have raised $5,000 and a donor has given us enough miles to pay for a plane ticket to Bulgaria (a $1,300 value).  Some details.  The Three Swallows Foundation has generously given us a $3,000 grant towards the project.  Donors have been very generous online and we have raised more than $1,400 as of today.  And checks sent directly to the project via the mail add up to more than $400.  The local newspaper has contacted us for a story and that should help our drive tremendously. We are almost there and the sooner the fundraising is over the quicker we can concentrate all our energies on the documentary. We thank everyone who has participated in the project and please spread the word.

June 17, 2008 -Update - The plane tickets are booked and our crew of three will be winging our way  to Bulgaria on July 14 for a nine day adventure.  We have had many developments that are very exciting.  WCPO-TV Channel 9 is on board as a major supporter of this effort.  They will be airing the program in September and giving staff and some equipment support if we need it. Our documentary subjects (in addition to the beautiful children in Bulgaria) are all lined up and ready and the travel arrangements are coming together very nicely. I have to admit throughout this process I have been discouraged wondering if this was really going to happen. The incredible developments over the last week or two have convinced me there is no stopping us now. What we ask now is to spread the word and help us complete our fundraising.  Thank you.

July 12, 2008 -Update Wow... we leave in two days. What incredible support we have gotten over the final days before we leave.  Our itinerary is set in erasable ink and flexibility will be the ‘buzz word’ of this trip. Over the last week we have received countless letters from Bulgarian children adopted in the United States. These letters are to Vice Minister Raichinova. I will deliver them to her personally. These letters are amazing testaments to the incredible spirit of our children. They detail their lives since their adoptions and make a plea on behalf of all the children left in the orphanages for them to have forever families. These letters and all the support we have received have kept me going as we get ready. Thank you.

August 12, 2008 -Update  We’ve been back for just under three weeks and boy does time fly. The trip was absolutely amazing - everyday we knew we were witnessing something special and doing important work... we continue to say thank you to everyone who has helped this process... check the blog for more stories about our adventure.

November 14, 2008 - Update We’re just over four weeks away from our air date and we are working furiously to get the documentary done. It’s very exciting as the stories we worked so hard on this summer come to fruition and take form before our eyes.  Thank you for your continued support - we will give you a time as soon as we know.

December 11, 2008 Update - We’re in the final days - please tell all your friends to watch Dec. 17 at 8PM if you are in the Cincinnati area.  It’s been amazing to watch the pieces come together. We can’t wait for everyone to see it.