(L to R: Commissioner Kirby Moynagh, Commissioner Jeanne Holland, Commissioner Nadine Schoen, Child Foster Care Licensor Marisa Ferguson, Social Services Supervisor Christine Treichler, Deb Zentz, Mike Pederson, Commissioner Darek Vetsch)
At the May 5th meeting of the Wright County Board of Commissioners, the board approved a proclamation recognizing May as Child Foster Care Awareness Month in Wright County.
Instead of simply approving the resolution, Wright County Social Services Supervisor Christine Treichler introduced the board to Deb Zentz and Mike Pederson – a Wright County couple that have taken in many foster children over the years and currently have eight children in their family. The couple are award-winning foster parents and won the Minnesota Social Services Association Region 7 Excellence in Child Foster Care Award this past September. They have also built a reputation for taking in children that have significant challenges in their lives, and large sibling groups to prevent siblings from being split up.
Wright County Board Chair Darek Vetsch, who also has a history as a foster parent, said that people like Zentz and Peterson are a blessing to their community, but more importantly, to the children who have been deprived of a loving, stable family life until coming under their care.
While Zentz and Pederson did not address the audience, they did receive a thankful ovation from those in attendance.
There are currently 45 foster care providers in Wright County. Community members are encouraged to recognize and thank a foster parent.
(Content courtesy, in part, of Wright County)
