EUGENE, Ore., Jan. 30, 2012 /
Christian Newswire/ -- Students at local Bertha Holt Elementary School are gearing up for the birthday celebration of its honored namesake, Bertha Holt. In 1956, Mrs. Holt co-founded in Eugene, Oregon the first international adoption agency, now called Holt International Children's Services. On February 5, 2012, she would have been 108.
The annual celebration will take place in the cafeteria of Bertha Holt Elementary on Friday, February 3, 2012, from 9 to10 a.m. Members of the Holt family will attend the celebration. Vice President of Policy and External Affairs at Holt International, Susan Soonkeum Cox, will make a presentation to the students.
"Our mother would have loved the annual birthday celebrations at the school. She would have been especially proud of the students' work to raise money each year to sponsor children in orphanages overseas. This is a wonderful tribute to her," said Helen Holt-Stampe, one of the eight children Bertha and Harry Holt adopted from Korea in 1956.
About Bertha Holt Elementary School
Bertha Holt Elementary School was established in September 2004. It is the only school in Eugene named after a woman. Although Mrs. Holt was known internationally, she was also deeply committed to the local community and education. A trained registered nurse, Mrs. Holt felt strongly that all children, especially girls, needed to have an education to be successful in life. Every year, the students at Bertha Holt School celebrate Mrs. Holt's birthday by sponsoring a child in Holt's care. In 2004, the students raised money to help the children who were affected by the tsunami in Thailand.
About Holt International
Founded in 1956, Holt International Children's Services is an organization dedicated to finding and supporting permanent, loving families for children who are orphaned, abandoned or separated from families, or at serious risk of separation. Today, Holt is recognized as a leader in child welfare and permanency planning, providing services and advocating for the best interest of children, while upholding the highest ethical practices. Learn more about Holt at www.holtinternational.org.
