Westfield Church of Christ is hosting its annual Harvest Supper, Oct. 18, 5-7:30 p.m., at the church.

Students participating

in the History Day

The comedy “Caught in the Net” by Ray Cooney is coming to Akron Community Theatre Nov. 8-10. This is a sequel to “Run For Your Wife” which was presented at ACT in 1992. The production is being sponsored by The Akron Hometowner and Koala-T Printing. Directors are Dodie Hook and Nancy Enstrom. Cast members are: Doug Olson, Dave Olson, Carissa Jacobs, Devon Banks, Bill Brown, Cody Morey, and Ben Brown.

A local family has been selected as the South Dakota’s 2007 Angels in Adoption recipients and was recognized by the U.S. Congress along with one adoptive family from each state in Washington D.C. this month. Steve and Laurie Liebetrau of Elk Point have adopted three Asian children: Maggi, Ben, and Audrey. Maggi, who is 11 and a sixth grader at Akron-Westfield Community School, was just one when Steve and Laurie brought her home from China. She plays the flute in the band and will perform in the “Music Man” school play in November. Ben, who is 9 years old and an A-W third grader, was a six-month-old South Korean infant when the Liebetraus adopted him. He enjoys wrestling and is a Cub Scout. Audrey, who is 2 years old, was last year’s Christmas gift for the Liebetraus. Audrey will receive her American birth certificate later this month. Steve is a pharmaceutical sales representative and the newest member of the Greater Hoyt School Board. Laurie is a stay-at-home mom. They decided to adopt internationally because of their ages. The age limit for adopting American children is 35. They also had friends who had adopted children successfully through Holt International Children’s Services. “It enables us to have a family,” said Steve, and obviously, it gives kids who were either in orphanages or in foster care a family in the United States.” “It opens a whole new world to you,” said Laurie. “We got to experience different cultures. There is so much more out there than what you see in our little area of South Dakota and Iowa.” “I don’t regret a day we did it,” said Steve, “because it made our lives whole.” “It changed our lives,” agreed Laurie. “Both friends and family have been very supportive,” said Steve, adding so has the Akron-Westfield Community School personnel. We try to celebrate every holiday and festival of the children’s homelands that they can find, said Laurie, adding they share those such as the Chinese New Year and Harvest Moon Festival with their children’s classmates. On Oct. 4, the Liebetraus attended an Angels in Adoption Awards Ceremony at Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. where they received a plaque honoring them for being “ordinary people doing extraordinary things.” South Dakota Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin met with the Liebetraus in November 2006 when the couple learned their “orphan child petition” had expired before they could get to China and get Audrey. It usually takes four to six months to get approval on these petitions. However, the Liebetraus were scheduled to go to China the following month. Herseth Sandlin’s office intervened and Audrey was granted a visa to enter the United States. “As we learned more and more about the great work they do in their lives, Rep. Herseth Sandlin was proud to nominate the Liebetraus as Angels in Adoption,” wrote Deputy Chief of Staff Russ Levsen of Herseth Sandlin’s office. “Each time they open their door and their lives to children in need of an atmosphere in which to develop and thrive, Steve and Laurie Liebetrau epitomize the very spirit of Angels in Adoption,” wrote Herseth Sandlin in the nominating statement. “Time and again, they have demonstrated a commitment to children who are in need of a loving and nurturing family environment.” “The children have plenty of room for fun and games on the family’s seven acres in southeast South Dakota,” she continued. “There they can experience the benefits of growing up in a peaceful and safe environment dominated not by poverty and uncertainty, but by the assurance of a loving and supportive family and community.” “While Steve and Laurie unquestionably deserve recognition as Angels in Adoption, their greatest recognition is realized each day when they are rewarded with the unconditional love of their children,” Herseth Sandlin concluded. “I’m very humbled,” said Steve. “It was so unexpected.” “Just because of the fact we adopted kids,” said Laurie. “It’s very humbling.” We don’t broadcast the fact that we are adoptive parents, said Steve. With Steve’s dark hair and brown eyes, people often think the children are our biological children, said Laurie. “We’d be glad to talk about it if people ask,” said Steve, “but we don’t go out and do slide shows and presentations.”