During Family Pathways' adoption celebration last year, from left, Sara McKinley, placement coordinator dressed up as Ariel, Placement Coordinator Morgan Davis was Belle and therapist Jacob Huff dressed up as Spider-Man. The fifth adoption celebration is set for Nov. 9 at Monarch Place, 100 Brugh Ave.

There will be superheroes and Disney princesses, food, a photo booth and balloons. That's for the children.

But Family Pathways' “How Our Love has Grown” adoption celebration event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 9 is also recognition for foster and adoptive families and a recruitment tool to seek more families willing to take children out of the child welfare system and put them in their own homes.

Kortney McConnell and Nikki Macurdy, Family Pathways permanency counselors, are readying for this year's event at Monarch Place, 100 Brugh Ave.

The party is a celebration of the permanence of the adopting families.

“It's really cool for us,” said McConnell speaking of the nonprofit Family Pathways staff. “We get to see them every year and see what's changed. “

“This is our fifth one,” said McConnell. “We invite back any families that have received adoption or permanent legal custody, and, in the last two years, have opened it to anyone in the community who is interested in foster care or adoption. We are there to answer questions.”

Macurdy said, “I already have four families who are looking to be certified foster parents. I am excited already.”

This is an excerpt from a story that appears in Wednesday's Butler Eagle.