MEET YOUR INSTRUCTORS - Sandy Musser
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SANDY MUSSER,
former Director of "The Musser Foundation,"
is the author of the book I Would Have Searched Forever, about her search for the daughter she gave
up for adoption
in 1954. The Musser Foundation was responsible for
reuniting thousands of birth parents, children, brothers,
sisters, and
grandparents. |
Sandy Musser shares her learned insight into the specialized business of tracing
separated people and provides a wealth of advice to those who are still
searching.
Sandy Musser has been involved with adoption reform since 1976.
In 1993, after 17 years of reform work, she paid the ultimate price. Sandy was
indicted by the government and sent to federal prison in her work of reuniting
families.
Sandy has always been committed to three main goals:
- Open Records
- Reuniting Families
- Family Preservation
In 1954, at the young age of 15, Sandy became pregnant "out of wedlock" and
surrendered her first-born child (the ultimate surrender!) to adoption. "Though
I
left the hospital that July day with empty arms and a broken heart, the memory
of my daughter never ceased, and though I was told to forget, I never did."
22 years later, in 1976, she became actively involved in what is now known as
the adoption reform movement and in 1979 wrote her first book titled I WOULD
HAVE SEARCHED FOREVER , a story about the search for her daughter.
Following are highlights of Sandy's work1976 - Joined the Adoption Forum of
Philadelphia and served as a Board Member for 3 years.
1977 - Completed the search for her daughter, Wendy, who she had surrendered
in
1954 when she was 15 years old.
1978 - Began the first local branch of Concerned United Birthparents (CUB) in
Philadelphia. CUB is a national support group for birthparents founded by
Lee
Campbell in 1976. Lee appointed Sandy CUB Branch Administrator, responsible
for
establishing branches around the country.
1979 - Authored her first book entitled I WOULD HAVE SEARCHED FOREVER , a
personal story of the loss and subsequent search/reunion experience; her second
book WHAT KIND OF LOVE IS THIS followed a few years later and described the
urgent need for adoption reconciliation.
Also in 1979, she was actively involved in helping to formulate the American
Adoption Congress as both a charter member and lifetime member.
1980 - Founded Adoption Triangle Ministries , an educational outreach with a
spiritual emphasis. Appointed Chaplain/Trustee of International Soundex Reunion
Registry , Carson City, NV - the largest reunion registry of its kind.
1987 - Founded the ALARM Network , a lobbying organization specifically working
to reform the child welfare system. ALARM's acronym stands for Advocating
Legislation for the Adoption Reform Movement.
1988 - Established a local facility in SW Florida known as The Adoption & Family
Reunion Center for the express purpose of reuniting families.
1990 - Incorporated as The Musser Foundation in order to pull the work together
under one banner.
1987 - 1993 - Responsible for reuniting hundreds of families who had been
separated by adoption, foster care, divorce, and war-torn years.
1993 - In March of 1993, Sandy was indicted by the Federal Government on
charges
of "conspiracy to defraud the government of confidential information" because
of
sealed adoption records. She pled not guilty, went to trial, was convicted and
sentenced to four months in federal prison, two months house arrest with an
electronic device, and three years probation. But her stiffest penalty was being
forced to close her office and forbidden to do adoption searches.
1994 - After coming home from prison, she wrote and published TO PRISON WITH
LOVE, The True Story of an Indecent Indictment and America's Adoption Travesty.
1996 - After 20 years of dedication to the cause of adoption reform, at the NAAC
(National Adoption Awareness Convention) in Atlanta, GA, she "officially"
retired
4 from the work of adoption reform.
1997 - In March of '97, Sandy completed her three years probation. Though
'officially retired,' she continues to be an outspoken advocate for change by
presenting at conferences and giving media interviews.
On the personal side, Sandy was born in Lewisburg, PA in 1939. Her family moved
to the Philadelphia suburbs in the mid-40's; she graduated from Yeadon High
School in 1956. Married soon after high school, she raised four children. Her
family has now grown to include twelve grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Recently widowed, her days are filled raising a 17 year old grandson, and
teaching
seniors and beginners how to get around the computer. Sandy moved from
Merchantville, NJ to Cape Coral, FL in 1982 which is where she presently
resides.
She still gives speaking engagements and media interviews and may be
reached
by e-mail. |
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