Petra B. Wynbrandt the National RegDay Coordinator is seeking volunteers for the 13th Annual RegDay which is being planned for November 10, 2007. I personally was a little surprised to see his posts and requests for volunteers so early in the year. RegDay is 11 months off. However, for an organization to plan a successful event planning ahead is one important key.

I know that in the latter months of 2006 I had wrote about RegDay and tried to encourage triad members to participate. Although I don’t know if I was clear in explaining truly what the day is all about. Petra seems to describe the purpose and mission of the day perfectly.

Adoption Registration Day (RegDay) is an annual one day event to increase public awareness of the International Soundex Reunion Registry; a free humanitarian service better known as ISRR. ISRR is a non-profit mutual consent registry established in 1975 dedicated to reuniting adult family members separated by adoption, divorce, foster care, or other dislocation.

RegDay is so much more than that. RegDay is a day where members of the adoption triad (adoptees, adoptive parents and birthparents) set up tables in public locations and meet face to face other members of the triad and the public in general, sharing their stories and information. It's a day to encourage those touched by adoption, and let them know they are not alone. RegDay is a day to meet others in the triad and form a search and/or support group in your local area, or to welcome them into a group that already exists. Remember when you first started being involved in adoption issues, wasn't it important, or just nice, to meet in person others who had been there or were going through the same thing. The internet is a great search and support resource, but so much of that personal contact is missing. RegDay gives us an opportunity to get that back.

RegDay is also a day to tell someone about that special adoption related book that helped you so much. It's a day to provide resources from internet links to national organizations. It's also a day to provide information about adoption reform that is still needed in so many states, and a way to connect with others who also see that need. RegDay can be a social event, hanging out with members of your support group at the same time providing a valuable service, or becoming friends with other volunteers that you just met. The friendships you build on RegDay can last a lifetime…. Volunteer Now!!

To learn more about RegDay go to www.regday.org. Sites are currently being secured in several states, but more are still needed. If you can coordinate a site in your area, or would like to volunteer to help at an existing site, join the Yahoo Mailing Group for RegDay Site Coordinators and volunteers at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/regday/