[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 178 (Monday, October 19, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S6326]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                     RECOGNIZING THE CURTIS FAMILY

 Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, I am honored to recognize Dawn 
Curtis and her late husband Danny Curtis on being named 2020 Angels in 
Adoption award recipients.
  The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, CCAI, was 
established in 2001 to raise awareness about the need for adoption in 
the United States and eliminate barriers standing between orphan and 
foster children becoming part of a family. Angels in Adoption is the 
CCAI's signature public awareness program, which annually recognizes 
outstanding individuals, families, and organizations that have made 
extraordinary contributions to adoption, permanency, and child welfare. 
I am honored to congratulate Dawn and Danny Curtis for their exemplary 
work that led to this well-deserved national honor.
  Dawn and Danny had two biological children and dreamed of a bigger 
family. The call to expand their family was answered during a visit to 
their local Walmart, where Dawn and Danny were browsing a photo album 
of children in foster care at a booth hosted by the Arkansas Department 
of Human Services. They fell in love with the picture of a 4-year-old 
girl and learned she had three brothers. The siblings had been in the 
foster care system for 3 years and multiple homes when the couple 
adopted all four of the children.
  After their first adoption experience, Dawn decided to follow her 
passion to work with children in foster care and obtained her master's 
degree in social work. She went on to work for the Arkansas Department 
of Human Services and served in a variety of roles during her career, 
including as an adoption specialist. During these years, the family was 
approached to consider adopting others in foster care and eventually 
added six more children to their home.
  Danny worked for many years as a police officer and a bus driver 
while caring for his growing family. Danny and Dawn also visited 
Washington, DC, on several occasions to advocate for adoption and 
children in foster care. The 12 Curtis children span 20 years of age 
and are all adults now, but the example and dedication of their parents 
continues to move everyone around them.
  The Curtis family is an amazing example of putting love into action. 
Their personal commitment changed the lives of the children they 
brought into their family and serves as an inspiration for others as to 
the impact of foster care and adoption.

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