Tuesday, November 20, 1934
Daily Nebrasksn
Psgo3
mMM eSaiMireia's special meeds
By Lisa Netting
Difly lhm.itz.n CiaSTCeporter
When Lee and Norma Baler of Holland,
Neb., agreed to take 3-year -eld Johnny
into their fester home nearly three years
ago, they never imnpned that one day
they would be adopting him.
Johnny went into foster csre when
hospital reports showed he had been
repeatedly and severely abused Doctors
concluded he. was a multi-handicapped
child. Now, three years later, 6-year-cld
Johnny looks and acta like any ether 6-yesj-o'd
And he is equally curious.
November is national adoption month.
This week, Nov. 18 to 24, has been set
aside ess 'Adoptive Family Week," by Gov.
Bob Kerrey, in order to honor the hun
dreds of Nebraska families who have
adopted children especially special
needs children.
Special needs children are those who
may have physical or mental limitations,
who maybe members of a minority group,
or those who are a little older. The need
for families to help these children is
continuous.
To date, the Balers have fostered 41
children. They adopted Michelle eight
years ago and are in the process of adopt
ing Johnny. They have three "natural
birth" children who are grown and on
their own. Three foster children, Brenda,
Cheri and Stacey currently live with the
Balers.
When Johnny came to the Balers, he
was quite a different little boy, the Balers
explained. Because he was an abused
child, he was always defensive. Whenever
he was corrected, he was ready to fight
back, Lee says.
Cold winter w
"He wasn't used to being corrected
without abuse," Lee says. "It was hard for
him to understand nonviolence."
Often Johnny would pull his fist back,
ready to protect himsell And many times
when he became frustrated, he would hit,
lack and scream at the Balers.
But now, things are better for Johnny
- and the Balers.
"It was a long hurdle, but we think he
has come a long way," Norma says.
Although Johnny does have some prob
lems the right side of his body is not as
quick as his left because of minor brain
damage, and he has trouble learning
the Balers say they have a lot of hope for
him. His school has "just been thrilled by
his. progress," Norma says. Johnny will
begin occupational therapy to help over
come some of his physical limitations,
"...Tliat phone rings
and we just can't say
no.... There's a need.
And it 's so hard not to
fulfill that need. "
Michelle Baler was adopted eight years
ago, but has been their foster child since
she was three months old. When the Bal
ers took Michelle into their foster home,
she was a ward of the state and was con
sidered "unadoptable." Michelle has Spina
Bifida and is paralyzed from waist down.
Through Nebraska's subsidized adop
tion plan, the Balers were able to adopt
Michelle. The adoption plan provides for
Michelle's health and care costs, which
the Balers could not afford on their own.
Michelle's natural family was poor when
she was born. Because the costs of raising
a child with special needs are so high,
Michelle's mother had to give her up.
Michelle also knows that she has two
brothers and a sister. She knows that her
natural father is a redhead and that he
played in a band. The Balers say they give
her the best knowledge of her background
to ease her mind.
"This shows Michelle that her mother
didn't not love her," Lee says, "but she
realized it was a lot more than she could
handle."
And when the day comes that Johnny
asks about his past, they say they plan to
be open with him.
"We want him to know his past good
or bad," Lee says.
The Balers dont plan to adopt any
more children after Johnny. They think
they'd like to slow down on fostering
children.
"But dog-gone that phone rir.r,3 and
we just can't say no," says Norma. "There's
a need. And it's so hard not to fulfill that
need."
ocal
eather changes
i he
Daily N
ebraskan
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L
iers into repairmen
Dx!3? Nctra&Saa EiafifRepsiter
The north wind doth blow and we
shall have snow and what will the robin
do then?"
According to seme local farming ez
perts, many Nebraska farmers are asking
themselves that question.
With harvest finished and the weather
dry, many area farmer s are repairing and
building pipelines, field lanes, drainage
channels and fences, the experts say.
Others are plowing fields and installing
terraces and other conservation improve
ments. Several farmers are putting up tem
porary fences to pasture their field stubble
and some are using the time to apply
fertilizer to their fields.
In spite of all this activity, some days
remind farmers of the approaching win
ter. For livestock producers this means
making feed, water and shelter available
for their animals.
Because water is essential for livestock
and susceptible to freezing, tank heaters,
water pumps and pipes must be serviced
With shorter daylight hours, experts
say, lights in buildings and on feeding and
snow-removal equipment need to be
checked The machinery also must be
winterized
For farmers with a lot of field equip
ment, winter provides a good opportunity
for a lot of shop ativity.
As the cold weather drives more far
mers indoors, the opportunity to study
management decisions becomes available.
Many farmers will close out books and
prepare tax estimates. Others will do
enterprise summaries.
By doing the off-season work early, like
the early bird getting the worm, these
farmers can get off to a successful start
next year.
We're looking for a few good people to help us put out our
high-quality newspaper. As one of our staffers put it, the DN
isn't just an adventure . , . it's a job. And that's where you come
in!
The Daily Nebraskan needs staffers for the spring semester.
Editor positions are open in all departments: news, editorial,
sports, arts and entertainment, photography, copy desk, art
and special supplements. We'll also be hiring four senior reporters
and several editorial columnists. Applications are available in
room 34 of the Nebraska Union, and will be accepted beginning
November 20 through the 29th. Please sign up for an interview
when you pick up your application.
Reporters, copy editors, artists, and photographers will be hired
at a future date.
You don't need to have a background in journalism to work
at the DN. Many staff members aren't journalism majors. We
hire on the basis of talent and enthusiasm, not age. Have
questions? Call Chris Welsch, editor in chief, at 472-1766. He'll
be glad to help you.
The Daily Nebraskan is an equal opportunity employer.
IX
E
infill.?
lebraska Union, Room 34 472-2588
Police
-vM.GQuto
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It -:-
The fallowing incidents were reported to
UNL police between 12:15 a.m. and 0:03
Sunday.
1:1S aun. Loud fnusk reported at
425 University Terrace. Noise had sub
sided when c-Scers arrived.
If;2 a-ra. Noise disturbance re
ported at Se&ck Quadrangle. Noisa had
quisled when officers arrived.
lsC3 jus. Persons reported tampering
with the emergency phcr.e tt Parking
Area 3 near Hth and New Hampshire
streets. Persons had left when cfScers
arrived.
1:41 aula. Windows reported broken
at SsSeck Quadrat's.
,scu Fire alarm reported sound
ing tt Nebraska Union. .
1:12 ffi-m. L'hturt-2,na reported in
the metered kst near Nebraska Union.
&S7 sum, Accident reported at ith
and vv'siresU-Acw raportsdlyhit a pole.
Ka injuries were reported.
&l6.m. Gasoline reported stolen
from avshJcis !a P&rtifeg Are 1 Rear 17th
and Q streets.
;14 &,es. Window reported broken
and items reported stolesa from & vehicle
in Parking Area 2 at 184Q Y Si.
&17a.EJ. Broken window and alleged
entry reported ir.to a vehicle in Parking
Area 2 at 1640 Y St. Nothing reported
missing. , ,
t..t2 Broken window and al
?d entry reported lato a vehicle in
ParkiES Area 2 at lC-'O Y St. Nothing
reported missing
" H:4 J ,?... Alleged tztsy fA at
tested theft from a vetdete reported in
Par&j Area 2 at 1643 Y St
ti.t p.Ei. Disturbance allegedly
caused feyJuveaiSes reported at Temple
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