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The Origins of ISRR
Written By Tony Vilardi, 1996
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Emma May Vilardi ~ Founder
June 23, 1922
to July 9, 1990 |
Stricken during her childhood years by three
severe illnesses and diseases, and again by cancer at age 26, Emma May
Vilardi wondered how could this all happen to her. Her mother was an
adoptee and severed from any access to her birth family history.
Emma May quickly learned the importance of
knowing family medical history and of the inaccessibility by those in
need of such medical history. Enlisting the help from medical
professionals, guidelines were established for recording medical
history, as much as was known about all the birth family members. It
was the hope that adoption professionals make this a standard practic
in future placements and make it available to those who would benefit
best from its knowledge. Updating the adoption record is very
important.
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Anthony S. Vilardi ~ Funder *
August 12, 1930 - June
14, 2009 |
The social services system was too slow to
respond or non-responsive to the needs of the adoption community in
providing access to any birth parent data. Many of the over 2000
illnesses and diseases of a genetic origin, once manifested, were
deadly to many adoptees and their offspring.
Thus the International Soundex Reunion Registry
was established to immediately respond to those touched by adoption
wishing contact or information. This was the quickest and most
non-restrictive way to serve those needs.
Since its establishment in 1975, the registry
services were expanded to serve the needs of all in search of their
next of kin, regardless of any causes of separation.
The registry services continue to be provided at
no cost to its registrants, supported entirely by individual
donations.
For the many thousands of families reunited by
this registry, it has brought the answers most had sought about their
heritage. For those yet to be reunited, this registry remains for
many, their only source of hope.
Click here for
more history on ISRR
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Tony & Emma at ISRR Front Door |
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Building Purchased to House ISRR in 1989 |
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The Very First ISRR Computer & Emma May, the Registrar |
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The Cutest Couple ~ Emma May & Tony Vilardi |
SOUNDEX CODE
For several decades all registration forms were coded by hand and
then the code entered into the computers. Today this is done
automatically in the background by the computer programs. Click here
to see the original sheets used by Emma and the staff to process
registrations:
Simplified Soundex Code & Coding Reminders.
ISRR Board of Trustees ~ Past and Present
Original Board ~
Emma May Vilardi ~ Chairman and Registrar; Anthony S.
Vilardi, Mary Jo Rillera, Reuben Pannor, Barbara A. Jackson, Donald E.
Humphrey, Douglas W. Hopkins, Dr. Joseph H. Davis, Carol Cramer, Dr. Dirck W. Brown,
and George G. Anthony at time of incorporation as a
501(c)3 tax exempt, non-profit in August of 1981.
Over the decades a number of
trustees have passed on or moved on, some new have been added, and many of the
originals are still involved.
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Current ISRR
Executive Trustees & Officers ~ |
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Marri Jo Rillera
Registrar |
Douglas W. Hopkins
Vice President |
Joan Vanstone
Vice President
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Butch Rillera
Treasurer
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Not Pictured:
Carol Cramer Drummond, Assistant Secretary |
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Mary Buckley
Secretary |
Sally File
Match Specialist |
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Diana E. Brown
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Executive Trustees |
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Jim Gritter
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Monica Byrne |
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Reuben Pannor
Guardian Trustee |
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Board of Advisors |
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Annette Baran
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Rich Buhler |
Penny Callan Partricge |
Karen Tinkham |
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Past
Trustees |
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George Anthony |
Leonie Boehmer |
Martin Brandfon |
Dirck W. Brown |
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Dr. Joe Davis |
Jennifer Erven |
Donald Humphrey
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Sandra Musser |
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Cheryl Smith |
Joe Soll |
Emma May Vilardi
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Anthony S, Vilardi |
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Former
Executive, Guardian and Alternate Trustees ~ Not Pictured:
Toni Anthony,
Molly Brown, Carol Davis, Barbara Jackson,
Patty O'Gorman,
C. Gallagher Ray, Edward J. Risk, Kathleen Vilardi
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Trustees No
Longer With Us But Fondly Remembered:
George G.
Anthony, Dirck W. Brown, Dr. Joe
Davis,
Barbara Jackson, Beve Tansey Kirk, June Tanner,
Anthony S & Emma May Vilardi
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In Addition, ISRR has been blessed
with many volunteers and dedicated staff members over the years.
Below are a few who will never be forgotten and deserve much
thanks. Without them the 30 years of services, offering hope and
reuniting families, would not be the incredible gift that it is to
hundreds of thousands of registrants and their families.
Here are some photos taken over the years. |
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Pictured left to
right: Tony Vilardi who served as Registrar for 11 years; Cheryl
Smith, an employee from 1995-2007; Susan Braun Vilardi, a
volunteer and employee who did most of the match calls for over a
decade and then married the boss; Doug Hopkins, has volunteered
for over 15 years, and Toni Anthony, married to George former ISRR
secretary. . |
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Volunteer Lunch
2006 ~ Left to Right:
Cully Ray, Cheryl
Smith, Treva & Ken Jewkes; Doug Hopkins, Marri & Butch Rillera |
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Staff &
Volunteers Dinner 2003-2004 ~ Bottom: Treva Jewkes, Susan Vilardi,
Joyce Divine. Kathleen Murphy. Top: Doug Hopkins, Marri
Rillera, Butch Rillera, Cheryl Smith |
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Volunteer Dinner 2002 ~ Joyce Devine & Guest, Marri & Butch
Rillera, Gary & Cheryl Smith, Susan & Tony Vilardi, Doug & Marie
Hopkins, Treva Jewkes -- others not pictured. |
*In the early years Tony
financially supported the registry, so is sometimes fondly referred to
as the "funder".
CONTRIBUTIONS TO SUPPORT THESE FREE SERVICES ARE GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED
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