'A celebration of love': 43 Milwaukee Co. children adopted Friday during one of the state's largest ceremonies
WAUWATOSA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Forty-three children, all ages 1-9. Twenty-eight families. One day, dedicated to recognizing the importance of adoption and foster parents.
Friday morning marked Milwaukee County's Adoption Day and to celebrate, dozens of Milwaukeeans gathered inside of the Vel R. Phillips Juvenile Justice Center in Wauwatosa to legally expand their homes and their hearts.
For Waukesha residents Michael and Danielle Branski, Nov. 18 was a dream come true.
The couple began fostering in September 2020. One year later, they were introduced to 3-year-old Noah and a few months later in February, they began fostering his 2-year-old sister, Ari.
"We had also talked about having biological kids, but it just kept not working out for one life reason or another and then COVID hit, and we just decided that this was going to be the time to sign up and start fostering instead and kind of see where that went," Michael Branski said.
The Branskis described the siblings as "very sweet."
"They’re absolutely wild. Super smart, but just very loving and cuddly and fun," Michael Branski said. “They felt like family since the beginning so it’s interesting how nothing changes after today, but a lot changes.”
43 children. 28 families. 1 day dedicated to recognizing the importance of adoption/fostering in #MilwaukeeCounty. Tonight on @CBS58 I’m bringing you inside of the courtroom for one of Wisconsin’s largest adoption ceremonies ever. pic.twitter.com/9ChbOaoDXd
— Ellie Nakamoto-White (@ellienw_news) November 18, 2022
Kelly Davis, a supervisor with permanency services at Children's Wisconsin, said Adoption Day is one of the happiest days to exist.
"It is so exciting to see all these kids dressed up and just talking about how great it is or whether they're going to get a new last name," Davis said.
Hon. Katie Kegel, one of the Milwaukee Co. judges who oversaw Adoption Day, said the ceremony is "emotional."
"It's fun to mark the moment. These are the moments that have to be really special," Hon. Kegel said.
According to the Wisconsin Dept. of Children and Families, around 7,000 children are in the state's foster care system at any given time. Last year, 600 kids were adopted.
"So many kids need a home, whether it's for five days or the rest of their lives. They just need people to love them and know that they're cared about," Danielle Branski said.
Now, as one chapter closes and another begins, the Branskis say they want to remind the community that family runs deeper than blood.
"It's a long rollercoaster journey when you are a foster parent, but it is so rewarding," Danielle Branski said.
Milwaukee Adoption Day was put on as a collaboration between "Milwaukee County Children’s Court Judiciary, Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office, Children’s Wisconsin Child and Family Well-Being, Milwaukee Child Protective Services, WellPoint and the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families," a news release said.