Liz, I am not Kerry. In fact, my daughter came home at about the same time as your daughter - if your daughter is in fact the child pictured on your yahoo group board. My daughter attended an ESOL summer school workshop with your daughter the summer of 2005 at Huntingtown Elementary in Calvert County. I have a photograph of our daughters together. I am confused as why you would be so unkind to the "Kerry helped us too" poster? "Your prayers mean nothing to me-your blessings are empty?" Perhaps her/his prayer for Kerry is to do the right thing? She/he revealed that she/he too had a tragic adoption experience on their road to adoption. For the last several months, I have followed these postings and while we had a journey with Project Oz that was relatively smooth and resulted in the blessing of our wonderful daughter, I have held the families who have been traumatized by the events and actions related to Project Oz/Kerry in my thoughts and prayers. Your experience, while very traumatic and tragic, does not make our experience any less wonderful.....please don't attack other parents simply because they have not been negatively impacted. I am not unsympathetic to your plight. Adoptive parents and PAPs need to support one another not attack each other. Why is the assumption that anything positive about Project Oz written on the board must be sourced from Kerry? My prayer for the unification of parents & children and financial restitutional for all of the families is sincere. During our journey - when there were roadblocks, shut downs, delays etc - I welcomed & embraced prayers and positive thoughts from anyone willing to contribute....and have a true, abiding belief that it was these prayers that carried our precious daughter home to us. I hope you will receive this email in the manner in which is was intended - with love and support from another adoptive parent.
PS - I just discovered you must provide a rating in order to post (I had hoped to avoid this as it seems to create such tension). As such, my rating is based on our family's personal experience with Project Oz and is not intended to demean or invalidate any other family's personal experience.
Allison: Obviously, my response to the original poster was not directed at you and should not be taken offensively. The point of my response is directed at those who, in the midst of this continual turmoil, write such unfeeling and insulting postings while there are still many parents waiting to not only pick up their children but many who may never have the opportunity to hold those babies who were promised so long ago by one who has since chosen to run away with their files, their money and their dreams. Not only did Kerry leave this state (Maryland) without notice, but left North Carolina and the company of Project Oz - her company in shambles. This is not a person who, in my opinion, is going to do the right thing - ever. Files are missing, files are incomplete, money is missing and unaccounted for. Shall I go on? You might be following by means of reading blogs, or yahoo group postings but there is much information that you and so many others are not privy to. Do not delude yourself into thinking that there will be a host of happy endings for these PAPs and APs.
We, and I speak for many parents, rejoice for those who are able to bring home their children - however, there are still many who are waiting and will continue to wait and wait and wait. For some, financial restitution is not the issue nor will it be possible - prayer or no prayer. Unfortunately, there were not enough controls in place during the process and not enough accountability - by any of the states that POZ was licensed in to do business.
The point of this board is to alert people of the situation - and to advise them of other boards for support and places in which they can turn to get help. Yes, there is some venting - and that is a healthy release for those who have been so damaged. But, do not think that my posts make light of those parents who have been able to bring home their children via POZ - when in fact my response is directed at the intent of their words when praising Kerry and making light of the situation. And, that intent is to expose the one person who has caused so much damage and grief and hurt so many. Until one has walked in these parent's shoes who have/are experiencing this horrendous situation, even for a brief moment, one cannot imagine the hurt and heartache that they are suffering.
The child that you speak of, that child you remember, that child no longer exists. That child, my daughter, has lived the past 2 years of her life in various residential treatment facilities due to the withholding of pertinent information from the Director of Project Oz prior to her placement and adoption in our home. Information known by Kerry, information that is required by law to be disclosed prior to adoption. My plight, my families plight is not just for our own family but for all those who have suffered. Please remember that we hold up all those who wait, and continue to wait and who have children, like our daughter who will never know a family's love - due to the actions and inactions of an agency such as Project Oz. My words are for all those who have been involved - this situation must be stopped before more families are hurt.
I left that comment about you being Kerry, not Liz! While I think the children are a blessing my anger lies with Kerry! I do not believe her intentions were true in bringing these children home, I believe she did it as a JOB and got paid! Where my money is, remains to be seen! I have paid triple the price that was originally quoted and Kerry is gone, walking around a free woman, and yet remains unaccountable! WHY??????? I am glad you children are home and I would venture to say that MOST that have their children home, will say they are a blessing that does not negate the fact that Kerry has stolen a lot of money, disappeared and left unaccountable. That is my point. Like I said, criminals are cunning and shrewd, they do not come across nice or they'd be seen a mile away and you WOULD be angry! You may or may not know that Kerry Palakanis has quite a history!
Printer-friendly version
Reviews
Liz, I'm not Kerry.......
Liz, I am not Kerry. In fact, my daughter came home at about the same time as your daughter - if your daughter is in fact the child pictured on your yahoo group board. My daughter attended an ESOL summer school workshop with your daughter the summer of 2005 at Huntingtown Elementary in Calvert County. I have a photograph of our daughters together. I am confused as why you would be so unkind to the "Kerry helped us too" poster? "Your prayers mean nothing to me-your blessings are empty?" Perhaps her/his prayer for Kerry is to do the right thing? She/he revealed that she/he too had a tragic adoption experience on their road to adoption. For the last several months, I have followed these postings and while we had a journey with Project Oz that was relatively smooth and resulted in the blessing of our wonderful daughter, I have held the families who have been traumatized by the events and actions related to Project Oz/Kerry in my thoughts and prayers. Your experience, while very traumatic and tragic, does not make our experience any less wonderful.....please don't attack other parents simply because they have not been negatively impacted. I am not unsympathetic to your plight. Adoptive parents and PAPs need to support one another not attack each other. Why is the assumption that anything positive about Project Oz written on the board must be sourced from Kerry? My prayer for the unification of parents & children and financial restitutional for all of the families is sincere. During our journey - when there were roadblocks, shut downs, delays etc - I welcomed & embraced prayers and positive thoughts from anyone willing to contribute....and have a true, abiding belief that it was these prayers that carried our precious daughter home to us. I hope you will receive this email in the manner in which is was intended - with love and support from another adoptive parent.
PS - I just discovered you must provide a rating in order to post (I had hoped to avoid this as it seems to create such tension). As such, my rating is based on our family's personal experience with Project Oz and is not intended to demean or invalidate any other family's personal experience.
Reponse to Allison
Allison: Obviously, my response to the original poster was not directed at you and should not be taken offensively. The point of my response is directed at those who, in the midst of this continual turmoil, write such unfeeling and insulting postings while there are still many parents waiting to not only pick up their children but many who may never have the opportunity to hold those babies who were promised so long ago by one who has since chosen to run away with their files, their money and their dreams. Not only did Kerry leave this state (Maryland) without notice, but left North Carolina and the company of Project Oz - her company in shambles. This is not a person who, in my opinion, is going to do the right thing - ever. Files are missing, files are incomplete, money is missing and unaccounted for. Shall I go on? You might be following by means of reading blogs, or yahoo group postings but there is much information that you and so many others are not privy to. Do not delude yourself into thinking that there will be a host of happy endings for these PAPs and APs.
We, and I speak for many parents, rejoice for those who are able to bring home their children - however, there are still many who are waiting and will continue to wait and wait and wait. For some, financial restitution is not the issue nor will it be possible - prayer or no prayer. Unfortunately, there were not enough controls in place during the process and not enough accountability - by any of the states that POZ was licensed in to do business.
The point of this board is to alert people of the situation - and to advise them of other boards for support and places in which they can turn to get help. Yes, there is some venting - and that is a healthy release for those who have been so damaged. But, do not think that my posts make light of those parents who have been able to bring home their children via POZ - when in fact my response is directed at the intent of their words when praising Kerry and making light of the situation. And, that intent is to expose the one person who has caused so much damage and grief and hurt so many. Until one has walked in these parent's shoes who have/are experiencing this horrendous situation, even for a brief moment, one cannot imagine the hurt and heartache that they are suffering.
The child that you speak of, that child you remember, that child no longer exists. That child, my daughter, has lived the past 2 years of her life in various residential treatment facilities due to the withholding of pertinent information from the Director of Project Oz prior to her placement and adoption in our home. Information known by Kerry, information that is required by law to be disclosed prior to adoption. My plight, my families plight is not just for our own family but for all those who have suffered. Please remember that we hold up all those who wait, and continue to wait and who have children, like our daughter who will never know a family's love - due to the actions and inactions of an agency such as Project Oz. My words are for all those who have been involved - this situation must be stopped before more families are hurt.
Liz.
I left that comment not Liz
I left that comment about you being Kerry, not Liz! While I think the children are a blessing my anger lies with Kerry! I do not believe her intentions were true in bringing these children home, I believe she did it as a JOB and got paid! Where my money is, remains to be seen! I have paid triple the price that was originally quoted and Kerry is gone, walking around a free woman, and yet remains unaccountable! WHY??????? I am glad you children are home and I would venture to say that MOST that have their children home, will say they are a blessing that does not negate the fact that Kerry has stolen a lot of money, disappeared and left unaccountable. That is my point. Like I said, criminals are cunning and shrewd, they do not come across nice or they'd be seen a mile away and you WOULD be angry! You may or may not know that Kerry Palakanis has quite a history!
For Liz
Stella, My post was in response to Liz's post just prior to yours. I must have hit the wrong reply button. I was not responding to your post. Allison