Features Archives - James DeCamp Photography

Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa – A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture photographed Monday, December 27, 2021 at the Ohio History Connection in Columbus, Ohio. Kwanzaa (/ˈkwɑːn.zə/) is an annual celebration of African-American culture from December 26 to January 1, culminating in a communal feast called Karamu, usually on the sixth day. It was created by activist Maulana Karenga, based on African harvest festival traditions from various parts of Africa, including West and Southeast Africa. Kwanzaa was first celebrated in 1966.

January 10, 2022/0 Comments/by James

Homeward Bound

Features, Images, News, People

A story on the Columbus Humane and the Franklin County Dog Shelter from (614) Magazine

Conrad, 12, black pull over and white stripe pants, Clara, 10, black coat & bluejeans, Marian, 8, Blue coat, Finnegan, 5, plaid shirt, and Rue, Aussie dog photographed Saturday, January 9, 2021 at Highbanks Metro Park. Rue was recently adopted by the family from Columbus Humane. (© James D. DeCamp | http://JamesDeCamp.com | 614-367-6366)

Jennifer and Rue, an Aussie dog photographed Saturday, January 9, 2021 at Highbanks Metro Park. Rue was recently adopted by the family from Columbus Humane. (© James D. DeCamp | http://JamesDeCamp.com | 614-367-6366)

Conrad, 12, black pull over and white stripe pants, Clara, 10, black coat & bluejeans, Marian, 8, Blue coat, Finnegan, 5, plaid shirt, and Rue, Aussie dog photographed Saturday, January 9, 2021 at Highbanks Metro Park. Rue was recently adopted by the family from Columbus Humane. (© James D. DeCamp | http://JamesDeCamp.com | 614-367-6366)

Rue, an Aussie dog photographed Saturday, January 9, 2021 at Highbanks Metro Park. Rue was recently adopted by the family from Columbus Humane. (© James D. DeCamp | http://JamesDeCamp.com | 614-367-6366)

Conrad, 12, black pull over and white stripe pants, Clara, 10, black coat & bluejeans, Marian, 8, Blue coat, Finnegan, 5, plaid shirt, and Rue, Aussie dog photographed Saturday, January 9, 2021 at Highbanks Metro Park. Rue was recently adopted by the family from Columbus Humane. (© James D. DeCamp | http://JamesDeCamp.com | 614-367-6366)

Rue, an Aussie dog photographed Saturday, January 9, 2021 at Highbanks Metro Park. (© James D. DeCamp | http://JamesDeCamp.com | 614-367-6366)

Sean Dundar and Rachael Reichley and their adopted Aussie Panda photographed Monday, January 11, 2021 at the Columbus Humane Facility. (© James D. DeCamp | http://JamesDeCamp.com | 614-367-6366)

Rachael Reichley and their adopted Aussie Panda photographed Monday, January 11, 2021 at the Columbus Humane Facility. (© James D. DeCamp | http://JamesDeCamp.com | 614-367-6366)

Sean Dundar and Rachael Reichley and their adopted Aussie Panda photographed Monday, January 11, 2021 at the Columbus Humane Facility. (© James D. DeCamp | http://JamesDeCamp.com | 614-367-6366)

An excerpt from (614) Magazine

When you and your partner both work at Columbus Humane, it can be difficult to avoid bringing home a rescue dog.

Sean Dundar, a Humane Agent, had been clear with his wife, Rachael Reichley—they weren’t going to be adopting one of the Australian Shepherds he helped rescue from an overcrowding situation in Reynoldsburg.

“(I said to her) under no circumstances is one of these dogs entering our house,” he explained.

A few days later, the couple had a new dog.

“She hopped right into my lap,” Dundar said of “Panda,” a female Aussie around three years old, whom he’d shared an instant connection with. “That was just kind of it.”

Panda was one of over 40 Australian Shepherds rescued Dec. 6 by Franklin County Dog Wardens, Reynoldsburg Police Department, and Columbus Humane from a home with overcrowded, unhealthy living conditions.

The Franklin County Dog Shelter took 16 of the dogs, while Columbus Humane took the remaining 29.

The dogs initially needed to be quarantined after one of them exhibited respiratory infection symptoms likely related to the Canine Distemper Virus. Once quarantine ended, Panda and the other dogs at Columbus Humane and the Franklin County Dog Shelter have all found loving homes—all except for one that’s in foster care because she gave birth to three puppies.

Mom and the three puppies will be available for adoption via Franklin County Dog Shelter in the coming weeks.

Dundar was one of the agents on-site to rescue the shepherds after Columbus Humane received a call the morning of Dec. 6 from another agency already on scene.

Dundar was familiar with the address. Columbus Humane had visited the home before when it was teetering on the edge of being overwhelmed with the dogs. This time, they learned that the dog owner had died, leaving the wife as the sole person responsible for over 40 dogs. She had placed all the dogs in carriers and, while some looked well-fed, others looked a little malnourished.

“You could tell that essentially they were just getting group fed,” Dundar said.

The dogs ranged from roughly about 10 months to six years in age. Panda, who was around three years old, earned her name after staff saw her playing with a squeaky toy of the same name. It was then that Dundar’s wife was instantly won over. Especially after Panda sat in her lap, and put her head under her chin.

“It was adorable,” Reichley said.

The couple decided to adopt her at the beginning of December, but the dogs’ quarantine meant they couldn’t officially take her home until Jan. 1.

Since then, Panda has been very attached to him and his wife, Dundar said. She’s much more social than they anticipated, running up and greeting all visitors to the home. Panda also knows how to sit, spin, stay, and is becoming familiar with her other roommates, Fifi, a female senior pit bull mix, and Mous, a male four-year-old beagle mix.

Panda is obsessed in particular with Fifi, Dundar said. They spend a lot of time together, and Mous isn’t permitted to join in on the girl time.

“They’re doing really well,” Dundar said.

While Panda is acclimating to her new doggie siblings, Rue, another recently adopted Aussie, is bringing new life to a family that was grieving the loss of their previous shepherd.

Fifteen years ago, Jennifer and her family adopted Foster, or “Fozzy Bear” from the Franklin County Dog Shelter.

The Aussie mix, Jennifer said, “was just an amazing dog,” and great with her kids, now 12, 10, 8, and 5.

But recently, Foster had needed a lot of palliative care, and had gone deaf and blind. The family lost him in October. Soon after that, her kids started asking about getting another dog, Jennifer said.

“I was not ready at all,” she said.

Just before Christmas, she reconsidered, and began keeping an eye on shelter websites in Delaware and Franklin counties.

That month, she saw the story about the large group of Aussies that had been rescued. Still missing Foster, the story moved her.

“It felt like something kind of came alive in my heart,” she said. “There could be room for new love.”

Toward the end of December, Jennifer was able to get an appointment with Columbus Humane. When Rue, a female Aussie just over a year old, came into the room to meet Jennifer and her kids, the children’s faces lit up, Jennifer said.

Friendly, curious, and a bit cautious, Rue walked up to each one of the kids.

“It was almost like she chose us,” Jennifer said.

Jennifer talked it over with her husband, and they decided to make Rue part of the family.

Now in her new home, Rue is very affectionate, and plays with all four kids, Jennifer said. She fetches, and walks well on a leash. She’s not totally house trained yet, but she’s learning. Every morning, she wakes up the kids by climbing on them and kissing them.

“She’s unbelievably good,” Jennifer said.

Since November, the family has been quarantining out of concern for the greater public health during the pandemic, Jennifer said. She and her husband pulled their kids from activities, and put them in virtual schooling. Bringing in new life during this slow period has been amazing, she said.

“I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect dog for our family,” she said.

January 9, 2021/0 Comments/by James

DTFA – The Corley Family

Features, Images, News, People

This is the thirteenth of an ongoing series of assignments that I had for the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. This has been a very meaningful project for me, as I too was adopted, but I had found a forever family when I was only months old. Many of the children I have documented in this series were not so fortunate, spending years in a system that passed them from one home to another until DTFA stepped in and helped them find a stable home life and loving forever family.

OUR CHILD IS PERFECT, EVEN WHEN HE ISN’T

By Sadie Marshall-Corley

Sadie and her husband, Cody, adopted their son, Latrell, through the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption’s Wendy’s Wonderful Kids program. The Corleys, who live in Louisiana, want to raise awareness about the importance of foster care adoption, and specifically, the critical need to find permanent, loving homes for teenagers in foster care.

People often say that our son is ‘lucky’ to have us, but they could never understand that we are the ones who are truly lucky and blessed to have him.

My husband, Cody, and I had thought about adoption for a while. But adopting a teenager was never the plan, until it was. Cody is a middle school teacher and had a 14-year-old student named Latrell. Cody and Latrell formed a bond that extended from class to extracurricular activities. And it was during this time that Cody learned that Latrell was in foster care. Months later, I met Latrell.

Latrell spent eight years in foster care. He needed a family. Before we finished the certification process, Latrell was moved to Monroe, Louisiana, which was about two hours away. Frustrated, but not deterred, we pressed on. We exchanged phone numbers, became Facebook friends and traveled to Monroe to take Latrell to dinner so we could see him and continue getting to know him.

In October 2016, Latrell asked us if we were interested in adopting him. Prior to that, we had just been getting to know one another and hadn’t made any solid plans or promises. My heart almost burst when he asked that one question. It took a few more months, but Latrell moved into our home in February 2017.

During this process, Kerri Byrd, our Wendy’s Wonderful Kids recruiter, was our guardian angel. I can’t tell you how many times I called her crying. The process was slow, and I felt like it was robbing us of time with our son. He was already 15, and we had limited time before he’d be off to college or living on his own.

By December 2017, Latrell was officially a Corley. He says he is now “living his best life.” What a compliment from a now 17-year-old boy!
While Latrell was already a teenager when we met, his experiences had been so limited. It was heartbreaking at first, but we realized that it allowed us to experience a lot of the typical “firsts” with him that are often missed when an older child is adopted. We got to teach him how to drive and give him his own room for the first time in his life. We bought him his first plane ticket for his first trip out of state. We gave him his first dog, helped him secure his first job, and more. It has been an incredible journey.

The biggest change for Latrell has been his grades. When he came to us, he was nearly failing. Today, he has a 3.5 GPA. He is now confident. It has been more amazing than I have the words to describe watching him blossom and develop a sense of self.

To anyone considering foster care adoption, a teenager can bring out the most love and hope a person can have in their heart. We are so lucky to have met Latrell and be given the opportunity to bring him into our family. He is the light of our world, and we couldn’t imagine life without him in it.

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption’s Wendy’s Wonderful Kids program provides grants to adoption agencies to hire and train recruiters in our Child-Focused Recruitment Model to find loving, permanent homes for the nearly 155,000 children waiting in foster care across the United States and Canada. The model is up to three times more effective at serving youth who have been in foster care the longest.

Considering adoption? Please check out this guide

Also, please prayerfully consider your financial support of this great organization.

June 9, 2018/0 Comments/by James

DTFA – The Patterson Family

Features, Images, News, People

This is the twelfth of an ongoing series of assignments that I have had for the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. This was a very meaningful project for me, as I too was adopted, but I had found a forever family when I was only months old. Many of the children I have documented in this series were not so fortunate, spending years in a system that passed them from one home to another until DTFA stepped in and helped them find a stable home life and loving forever family.

WHO KNEW A GAME OF UNO COULD CHANGE YOUR LIFE?

By Jacquelynn Patterson

Jacquelynn and Kevin Patterson are adoptive parents from Kevil, Kentucky. They have three daughters. Their oldest, Haylee, was adopted through the Foundation’s Wendy’s Wonderful Kids program.

Our daughter, Haylee, came home to us at age 13. After living a life of uncertainty, growing up in homes that were deemed unsafe and foster homes that were not permanent, our daughter is finally home.

We met Haylee in September 2016. We weren’t sure what we were getting into, but we knew the need for foster-to-adopt families in Kentucky was critical. We also knew that teenagers were being overlooked and that thousands of teens needed loving parents. We wanted to be that family for a teenager.

During our first meeting, Haylee was shy, and it was hard to get her to talk to us. Everything changed when we learned that she likes to watch professional wrestling. Kevin loves the WWE. That was our in. From there, we moved on to playing what can only be described as the most epic and memorable game of Uno ever played. It took 90 minutes, and we laughed the entire time. Haylee began opening up and started making jokes. In the end, she won the game, but we had broken the ice. Leaving that day, we knew we had met our daughter, and Haylee says she knew she had met her parents. “I thought they were so weird, but deep down, I knew they were my family.”

When Haylee came to live with us, it was easy to see she was broken, lacked confidence and couldn’t see all the beautiful things about her. It’s hard to blame her, she had been through a lot. As she once said, “no one wanted a child like her.”

We try to instill in Haylee how much opportunity she has ahead of her. She takes joy in now being a big sister, oldest child, oldest grandchild, friend, cousin and daughter. Not everything has been smooth, but we work through the obstacles together. Every moment of resistance and frustration has been worth it.

Haylee didn’t smile in photos before. Now, she loves to smile and loves life, herself and her family. Today, when she is asked about being adopted, Haylee says, “It just feels great to be wanted and to be home.” We have a hard time remembering life without her. It’s like she’s always been here.

Considering adoption? Please check out this guide

Also, please prayerfully consider your financial support of this great organization.

June 3, 2018/0 Comments/by James

DTFA – The Broom Family

Features, Images, News, People

This is the eleventh of an ongoing series of assignments that I had for the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. This was a very meaningful project for me, as I too was adopted, but I had found a forever family when I was only months old. Many of the children I have documented in this series have not been so fortunate, spending years in a system that passed them from one home to another until DTFA stepped in and helped them find a stable home life and loving forever family.

TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK

By Kameca Broom

Kameca and her husband, Jamar, adopted Elias and Niyah through the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption’s Wendy’s Wonderful Kids program. The Brooms, who live in Mississippi, hope that anyone considering foster care adoption sees it as a higher calling.

Adoption is choosing to love someone who you will teach how to love others unconditionally. My children are not biologically mine, but my heart doesn’t know the difference. I’ve always wanted to fill my home with children, and while we didn’t take the path that I originally thought, it’s taken us to an amazing place.

My husband, Jamar, and I first learned about foster care adoption from a high school friend who was working for the Mississippi State Department of Health. She opened my eyes to the great need for foster-to-adopt families. There was so much to learn and do to prepare our hearts and minds for bringing children into our home.

During our journey, we decided that we would be open to adopting more than one child. That’s when Elias and Niyah came into our lives. Just three and four years old at the time, they had spent three years of their young lives in foster care. We also met a woman who would change our adoption path for the better. Kenyata Wells, our Wendy’s Wonderful Kids recruiter, has helped us beyond what words could ever repay, from supporting us through each transition to being present at our adoption finalization.

Elias and Niyah lived with us for a little more than a year before the adoption was final. During that time, we grew together and learned from each other. So many challenges presented themselves as we started to become a family. We had to work hard to heal the behaviors that are expressed when a child has experienced significant trauma and inconsistency. We started a behavior chart and taught them self-control. They have both grown socially, mentally and physically.

If you are considering foster care adoption, follow your heart. I believe our adoption was heaven-sent and the most precious gift I’ve been given. Jamar and I always wanted to be parents, and we are so blessed that God found a way to help us find the children we were always meant to have.

It wasn’t all easy. In fact, most of it was hard. But it’s all been worth it to hear our little boy and girl say, “Mommy and Daddy, we want to stay with y’all forever, because we love y’all.”

At the end of the day, we all want what is best for each other. And as we say almost every day, “Teamwork makes the dream work! Team Broom!”

Considering adoption? Please check out this guide

Also, please prayerfully consider your financial support of this great organization.

May 5, 2018/0 Comments/by James

DTFA – The Brydges Family

Features, Images, News, People

This is the eighth of an ongoing series of assignments that I had for the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. This was a very meaningful project for me, as I too was adopted, but I had found a forever family when I was only months old. Many of the children I documented in this series were not so fortunate, spending years in a system that passed them from one home to another until DTFA stepped in and helped them find a stable home life and loving forever family.

On a cold, clear November evening in 2015, Robbin and Steven Brydges climbed into a big white bus in the middle of a Walmart parking lot. It was here, in this unassuming locale, that they met their sons for the first time.

“I knew Dawson loved super heroes,” Robbin shares, “so I’d gotten a manicure with super hero icons on each finger, like Superman’s S and the Bat signal.” They hit it off right away. Over the next few months, Robbin and Steven made several more trips to Ohio to visit Dawson and his brother Dalton, and in May of 2016 brought the boys to their Jacksonville, Florida home for good.

Robbin and Steven hadn’t considered adopting two children. But when Rachel, a Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Recruiter, told them about Dawson and Dalton, they knew they had to keep the boys together. “Dalton has cerebral palsy and epilepsy, so we were nervous,” Steven says. “We didn’t know if we could give him the care he needed.” But the Brydges made the commitment, and it’s made all the difrerence in their lives — and those of Dalton and Dawson. “I kept praying for years and years that they wouldn’t take me away from Dalton,” says Dawson. “I was very afraid.”

Today, the boys are thriving in their home. Dawson is doing well in school, Dalton’s health has markedly improved and the boys’ laughter fills the house. “Life has been much more fulfilling,” Steven says. “It’s a lot more fun to share it with these kids.”

“We all love each other and we’re all kind and we’re all good at having fun together!” – Dawson Brydges, age eight, on his favorite thing about his family

Considering adoption? Please check out this guide

Also, please prayerfully consider your financial support of this great organization.

May 6, 2017/0 Comments/by James

DTFA – The Caldwells

Features, Images, News, People

This is the seventh in a series of assignments that I had for the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. This was a very meaningful project for me, as I too was adopted, but I had found a forever family when I was only months old. Many of the children I documented in this series were not so fortunate, spending years in a system that passed them from one home to another until DTFA stepped in and helped them find a stable home life and loving forever family.

Greg and Pam Caldwell were considering adoption. They’d talked to a friend of theirs, a Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Recruiter, and she’d told them about a little boy named Douglas. Pam had stuck a picture of Douglas to their fridge with a magnet. They saw it each day as they deliberated. One day during this process, Pam took another one of her children to the pediatrician for a routine visit.

“I walked into the waiting room and there was Douglas,” Pam says. “I knew it was more than a coincidence. I decided right then we had to adopt him.”
Even so, the Caldwells were a bit apprehensive. Douglas required a high amount of care. Although he was seven, he wasn’t eating solid food, walking or speaking. Since being adopted, however, Douglas has made a lot of progress. He’s 10 now, and eats table food, walks and even has a few words. He also loves helium balloons.
Soon after adding Douglas to their family, they decided to add a daughter, Neveah. Even though they’d learned to care for Douglas, the Caldwells wondered if they could handle two. “Neveah is wheelchair bound, so we were afraid that we wouldn’t know how to care for her,” Pam recalls. “Now it’s just second nature.” It hasn’t always been easy, but it’s always been fulfilling. “It’s worth the struggles. It’s worth everything you go through. They just have so much love.”

“You don’t have to be smart. You don’t have to be rich. You just have to give them your time. And they give you back the best unconditional love you can get.” – Pam Caldwell

Below is an except from a Readers Digest article written by Jen Babakhan about the Caldwell family:

Pam and Greg Caldwell had raised three children already when Pam felt like she had room in her heart and life to raise more. With her husband working late nights, and her 17-year-old son busy with his own friends, Pam found herself with plenty of free time that she wasn’t accustomed to. She explains, “I’ve only raised kids during my adult life—it’s all I was used to. I told Greg that we should consider fostering children.” Although they originally had no intentions of adopting, they received a five-week old baby in 2014 that became their adopted son after three years. “That’s our Dominic,” Pam tells Reader’s Digest. “Life hasn’t been boring since,” she adds.

After fostering for two years, Pam became friends with a social worker for Wendy’s Wonderful Kids, and jokingly asked her what children she had available. That’s when the social worker handed Pam an information sheet highlighting Douglas’ information, and Pam knew she needed to tell Greg about the little boy. Douglas had been in foster care since he was three, and when he was placed in the foster system was the victim of severe neglect. Pam explains, “Doug came to us not walking, talking, and eating baby food. He was scared of the dark and sleeping in a crib.” Doug’s improvement since being with the Caldwells has been drastic and rapid. She continues, “He now eats regular food, he will try to say what he wants, and he is walking, which was our biggest challenge. He sleeps in a twin bed and we slowly transitioned him to only needing a small night-light to sleep with. He has done so much in a short time. We can’t wait to see where he goes with his life. He just needed a good start.”

The Caldwells had two adopted sons, in addition to their three grown children, and yet Pam knew that she wanted to add another child to their family, a girl. After contacting the social worker, Pam says she was frightened by the child she was presented with: Nevaeh, a five-year old in the foster system since she was two, who had been so brutally abused as a baby she was now confined to a wheelchair with severe disabilities. Pam recalls, “She scared us—she had a lot of problems. I talked Greg in to going to visit her and that’s all it took for her to become a daddy’s girl. After our meeting and learning everything we needed to know to care for her, we brought her home in March of 2015.”

Pam and Greg don’t think their stories of adoption are anything remarkable, they simply met a need that was placed in their path. Pam explains, “We knew they needed us, and we looked past their disabilities. Really, we found out that we needed them so much more than they needed us. They have shown us what we really are capable of handling.”

Nevaeh has blossomed in the Caldwell family, and she is now making leaps and gains once thought impossible. “Nevaeh would repeat what you said to her when we first got her, and never noticed people coming and going. Today, you can have a conversation with her. She can do just about anything on her iPad, and she makes some decisions on her own. She is smart, and learning to read. She amazes me every day with something new. She knows all of our family members and talks all the time.”

Pam cautions others who fear adopting a child with special needs from focusing on the wrong thing. She advises, “Look past the words ‘special needs.’ Those are just words. See the child.”

Considering adoption? Please check out this guide

Also, please prayerfully consider your financial support of this great organization.

April 30, 2017/0 Comments/by James

DTFA – The Marris Family

Features, Images, News, People

This is the sixth in a series of assignments that I had for the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. This was a very meaningful project for me, as I too was adopted, but I had found a forever family when I was only months old. Many of the children I documented in this series were not so fortunate, spending years in a system that passed them from one home to another until DTFA stepped in and helped them find a stable home life and loving forever family.

Thomas and Virginia Marris had always longed for a child, but hadn’t been able to have one of their own. After several years with no luck, they saw a Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption booth at a local event.

We have a strong faith, and we trusted that God would give us a child. When we saw the Foundation there, we thought maybe this is where He wants us to be,” Thomas recalls. “We signed up that day.” Not long after that, the Marrises met the girl who would become their daughter: 10-year-old Kassandra. They felt an immediate connection. Then they learned Kassandra had two younger brothers. “We were looking for one child,” Thomas says. “We got three. It all happened so fast. It was tough at first, going from zero to three. But we figured it out.”

Even though the children are grown now, the family is still close. Thomas and Virginia feel lucky to have seen them grow up, graduate high school and attend college. And Kassandra has blessed them with a grandbaby.
“Looking back, we did spoil them a bit. We always just wanted them to be happy.”

“When you adopt a child, you find a love that was never there before. It’s unconditional.” – Thomas Marris

The Marris family photographed Saturday, April 22, 2017 in Pasadena, California for the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. (© James D. DeCamp | http://JamesDeCamp.com | 614-367-6366)

Considering adoption? Please check out this guide

Also, please prayerfully consider your financial support of this great organization.

April 22, 2017/0 Comments/by James

Charity Newsies Clothe-A-Child Paper Drive

Features, Images, News

The 2016 Charity Newsies Clothe-A-Child Paper Drive & Sale photographed Saturday, December 10, 2016 in Columbus, Ohio.

The 2016 Charity Newsies Clothe-A-Child Paper Drive & Sale photographed Saturday, December 10, 2016 in Columbus, Ohio. (© James D. DeCamp | http://JamesDeCamp.com | 614-367-6366)

December 10, 2016/0 Comments/by James

Charity Newsies Clothe-A-Child Gala & Auction

Events, Features, Images, News

The 2016 Charity Newsies Clothe-A-Child Gala & Auction photographed Friday, December 2, 2016 at the Bluestone in downtown Columbus.

The 2016 Charity Newsies Clothe-A-Child Gala & Auction photographed Friday, December 2, 2016 at the Bluestone in downtown Columbus. (© James D. DeCamp | http://JamesDeCamp.com | 614-367-6366)