11.25.14

Hoeven Honors Ward County Couple for Adoption Work

MINOT, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven today recognized Rod and Tracey Belzer as Angels in Adoption at a ceremony held in Minot to honor their outstanding commitment to adoption. Hoeven selected the Belzers to receive the national Angels in Adoption award after considering a pool of inspiring candidates.

“Rod and Tracey Belzer exemplify the powerful and positive impact individuals can have on the lives of North Dakota foster children,” said Hoeven. “During their 26-year marriage, the Belzer family has cared for 132 different children in addition to their five children, two of whom are adopted. It is an honor to nominate Rod and Tracey as Angels in Adoption, and I hope their work will inspire others and increase awareness about the importance of adoption and foster care.”

Rod and Tracey Belzer have been foster parents in Ward County for 16 years. They are also the parents of five daughters. Their youngest daughter was adopted when she was four, and their second youngest was made a permanent member of their family through guardianship when she was 11. They are currently fostering four children.

Tracey works with Easter Seals, where she is a buddy for two young people, and Rod is a territory development manager for Culinex, a Fargo-based restaurant supply and equipment company.

The Angels in Adoption program is the signature public awareness campaign of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI). It provides an opportunity for all Members of Congress to honor the efforts of individuals working in their home states to enrich the lives of foster children and orphans in the United States and abroad.

The Belzers are among more than 150 local and national angels from around the United States who have been formally recognized this year by the CCAI. The CCAI held a ceremony in Washington, D.C. in September to recognize this year’s awardees.

Hoeven has previously recognized three North Dakotans as Angels in Adoption awardees. In 2011, the senator nominated District Judge Joel D. Medd of Grand Forks for his dedication to positive child welfare practices in his court. Roberta Soper of Devils Lake was selected as the 2012 awardee. Soper has dedicated her professional and personal life to working on behalf of adoptive children and families. Sharon Maier, who worked for North Dakota’s three major licensed child placing agencies for more than 30 years, was nominated in 2013.