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11/05/1982 (case file 109475)
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Presidential Briefing Papers
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Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
Digital Library Collections
This is a PDF of a folder from our textual
collections.
Collection: President, Office of the: Presidential
Briefing Papers: Records, 1981-1989
Folder Title: 11/05/1982 (Case File: 109475)
Box: 23
To see more digitized collections visit:
https://reaganlibrary.gov/archives/digital-library
To see all Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
inventories visit:
https://reaganlibrary.gov/document-collection
Contact a reference archivist at:
[email protected]
Citation Guidelines: https://reaganlibrary.gov/citing
Ag
Page 1511
ID #. 109475
WHITE HOUSE
OFFICE OF RECORDS MANAGEMENT
TR
WORKSHEET
X MEDIA
H . INTERNAL
Subject Codes:
Name of Document:
BRIEFING PAPERS FOR
PRESIDENT'S SCHEDULED NOV0582
PR007.01
APPOINTMENTS FOR
1)
Subject: Meeting with the Robert and to
WE 001.01
recogning their support of
Dorothy DE BOLT family
adoption of handlcapped
and children disadvantaged
-
ROUTE TO:
ACTION
DISPOSITION
Tracking
Type
Completion
Action
Date
of
Date
Office/Agency
(Staff Name)
Code
YY/MM/DD
Response
Code
YY/MM/DD
RMMATT
RSZ
/ /
/ /
Referral Note:
THE SCHEDULE OF
PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN
/
Friday, November 5, 1982
9:30 am
National Security Briefing
Oval Office
(15 min)
(Clark)
9:45 am
Meeting with Ambassador Jeane
Oval Office
(30 min)
Kirkpatrick
(Clark)
10:15 am
Courtesy Visit by Mr. and Mrs.
Oval Office
(5 min)
Robert DeBolt
(Small)
(Tab A)
10:20 am
Dental Appointment
Dr. Ruge's
(60 min)
(Ruge)
Office
11:20 am
Personal Staff Time for Remainder
Residence
of the Day
UNP 11/4/82
5:00 pm
Def
Y
Friday, November 5, 1982
9:30 am
National Security Briefing 9125-9151
Oval Office
(15 min)
(Clark) BUSH, MEFARLAND im
9:45 am
Meeting with Ambassador Jeane
Oval Office
(30 min)
Kirkpatrick 9.52-10.19
(Clark)
10: 15 am
Courtesy Visit by Mr. and Mrs.
Oval Office
(5 min)
Robert DeBolt 10:24-10:29
(Small)
(Tab A)
10:20 am
Dental Appointment 10:33
Dr. Ruge's
(60 min)
(Ruge)
Office
11:20 am
Personal Staff Time for Remainder
Residence
of the Day
UNP 11/4/82
5:00 pm
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
November 4, 1982
COURTESY CALL BY THE DEBOLT FAMILY
DATE:
Friday, November 5, 1982
LOCATION:
Oval Office
TIME:
10:15 a.m. (5 minutes)
FROM:
Karna smallks
I. PURPOSE:
To greet the DeBolt family and give recognition to their
unselfish dedication to their project of adopting -- and
helping other families to adopt -- handicapped and
disadvantaged children.
II. BACKGROUND:
Dorothy and Bob DeBolt are from the East Bay (San Francisco
Bay Area) and have become quite well known since they started
adopting children no one else would take in: blind, crippled,
abandoned children from many countries such as Korea,
Vietnam and even Biafra. Besides their own 6 children, they
have adopted 14 others. They have also organized an adoption
agency to help place other such children around the country.
They are in town because Dorothy DeBolt was honored at a
large dinner Wednesday night hosted by W. Clement Stone.
Nancy Reagan did a video tape greeting which praised their
work - the tape was shown at the dinner. (See attached clipping)
They are strong Reagan supporters and you saw them in 1976
when they were guests in your Pacific Palisades home and
you viewed a network documentary that was made about them
and their adopted children.
III. PARTICIPANTS:
The President
Dorothy DeBolt
Robert DeBolt
May DeBolt (grandmother)
Doni DeBolt (daughter)
Karna Small
FISEHGR
IV. PRESS PLAN:
White House Photographer only
V. SEQUENCE OF EVENTS:
Karna Small will escort DeBolt family into the Oval Office
for brief greeting and photo.
A
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
November 4, 1982
COURTESY CALL BY THE DEBOLT FAMILY
DATE:
Friday, November 5, 1982
LOCATION:
Oval Office
TIME:
10:15 a.m. (5 minutes)
FROM:
Karna smalls
I. PURPOSE:
To greet the DeBolt family and give recognition to their
unselfish dedication to their project of adopting -- and
helping other families to adopt -- handicapped and
disadvantaged children.
II. BACKGROUND:
Dorothy and Bob DeBolt are from the East Bay (San Francisco
Bay Area) and have become quite well known since they started
adopting children no one else would take in: blind, crippled,
abandoned children from many countries such as Korea,
Vietnam and even Biafra. Besides their own 6 children, they
have adopted 14 others. They have also organized an adoption
agency to help place other such children around the country.
They are in town because Dorothy DeBolt was honored at a
large dinner Wednesday night hosted by W. Clement Stone.
Nancy Reagan did a video tape greeting which praised their
work - the tape was shown at the dinner. (See attached clipping)
They are strong Reagan supporters and you saw them in 1976
when they were guests in your Pacific Palisades home and
you viewed a network documentary that was made about them
and their adopted children.
III. PARTICIPANTS:
The President
Dorothy DeBolt
Robert DeBolt
May DeBolt (grandmother)
Doni DeBolt (daughter)
Karna Small
IV. PRESS PLAN:
White House Photographer only
V. SEQUENCE OF EVENTS:
Karna Small will escort DeBolt family into the Oval Office
for brief greeting and photo.
The Washington Post
STYLE
Television/Comics/Classified C1
The Gift of Family
Love and Laughter: The DeBolts and Their 20 Kids
By Carla-Hall
"We felt very blessed. We didn't
OROTHY AND Robert
have much money, but we had other
D
DeBoit have 20 children.
things. We felt the need to say 'Hey,
"Now, when we left
God, thank you, we're lucky.' We
home, it was 20," says
decided to show it by adopting chil-
Robert DeBolt straight-faced, "but it
dren."
might be more."
They began by adopting un-
Actually, only seven of those 20
wanted children-those left in hos-
live in the DeBolt home in Pied-
pitals or shuttled through foster
mont, Calif., near San Francisco. It
homes. In the 27 years since, Do-
is a large, old, three-story house. "It
rothy DeBolt and her second hus-
has seven bedrooms, but more im-
band, Robert, have started an agen-
portantly it has six bathrooms," says.
cy-Aid to Adoption of Special
Robert DeBolt. The largest number
Kids-to promote and facilitate
of children in the house at one time
adoption. of hard-to-place children,
was 16.
and they have made careers out of
To say that theirs is a diverse
speaking on how they have raised
household is an understatement.
their own family. There have been
Five children are from Dorothy De-
two films made about the DeBolts-
Bolt's previous marriage. One is
one was the Academy Award-win-
from Robert DeBolt's previous mar-
ning "Who Are the DeBolts-And
riage. The remaining 14 were adopt-
Where Did They Get 19 Kids?"
ed. Several of them are Amerasian,
(made before they got the 20th).
one is black.
After that, there was a book.
Some of the adopted children are
Last night, there was an award.
paraplegic or have other physical
Dorothy DeBolt received the 1982
handicaps. Some are blind, some
"Endow a Dream" Award from the
have a combination of problems. All
W. Clement and Jessie V. Stone
had something that made them dif-
Foundation. It carries a $50,000
ficult to be adopted.
grant and honors "an individual, who
"With my first husband, we had
through his or her own positive men-
four healthy children born to us in
tal attitude, has overcome adversity.
four years," Dorothy DeBolt says.
See DEBOLTS, C9, Col. 1
Robert & Dorothy DeBolt, by James M. Thresher, & a portrait from the family album
DEBOLTS, From C1
The
Bolts say, supported what they were
and gone on to make significant con-
doing from the start. "Now, people
tributions to the betterment of hu-
run around saying, "The DeBolts live
manity." She was nominated by their
here! The DeBolts live here!' "
22-year-old daughter, Doni, who
"Would you believe," says Robert
joined the growing family when her
DeBolts
DeBolt, leaning forward in his chair,
father and Dorothy were married.
"we're on the Gray Line tour?"
As embodiments of the positive
Their family has been a success,
mental attitude that Stone espouses,
they say, but it has not been without
the DeBolts certainly qualify. "We
have a terrible time looking at things
& Their
problems. "Dorothy and I have made
more mistakes than other parents,"
as problems," she says. "I don't mean
says Robert DeBolt. "God knows
to be Pollyanna-ish
we've had enough chances."
"We're not martyrs or saints," says
"We had a tendency to scold and
Robert DeBolt. "If we had a lot of
20 Kids
say 'You're bad,' instead of saying,
problems, we wouldn't do it. Because
'You're such a good child. Why
of these handicaps, the child has to
would you do such a dumb thing?'
take a close look at himself at an
says Dorothy DeBolt.
early age. I might have been 35 when
"We have a tendency to underes-
I took a close look at myself."
timate the adaptability of children,"
The DeBolts take turns telling
says Robert DeBolt. "These children
anecdotes about the children. She is
can come from some of the damned-
tall and slim, with high cheekbones.
est backgrounds, and they can ad-
He has gray hair, thick eyebrows and
just."
a strong face. A civil engineer by
One child they adopted together
profession, he gave up his job as
was J.R-10 years old, wheelchair-
president of an Oakland construc-
bound, blind, 40 pounds overweight
tion company to help start the adop-
from having been treated as a veg-
tion agency and launch a full-time
etable and stuffed with food in one
speaking career. "I became a corpor-
temporary home after another. "But
ate dropout," he says. "I'm ungain-
his greatest handicap was his lack of
fully employed." Their $50,000-a-
self-esteem," says Dorothy DeBolt.
year income comes from lecture
"The first time he walked on
tours (the $50,000 Dorothy received
crutches, he did it for me as a Moth-
with the Stone award will go to their
er's Day gift. He would only do
adoption agency). They have a folder
things like that for others. But now,
of material on themselves and a list
he's so motivated he's driving us cra-
of suggested speech topics: "Love,
zy." Today, he is 18, walking with
Laughter, and Twenty Kids," "From
braces and crutches, slimmed down,
Burn-Out to Bonfire," "Parenting in
Dorothy DeBolt; by James M.
in 10th grade, an honor student and
the '80s," "Society Says 'Handi-
Thresher-The Washington Post
secretary of the student body. He
capped'-We Say 'Challenged.'
also was campaign volunteer in Cal-
On Robert DeBolt's right hand is
company I ran-his wife was an av-
ifornia State Sen. Milton Marks' un-
a large, oval turquoise ring. On his
ocational matchmaker
She prob-
successful reelection bid this fall.
left hand is a gold wedding band
ably fixed me up on 110 dates. I told
There is a daughter, Karen-
that matches his wife's. Both wed-
her, 'No more.' I really hated to hear
black, born without legs and arms.
ding bands are inscribed: "Thank
the phone ring-I thought it was
Karen, 16, who uses artificial limbs,
you, God."
Jean with another body. Then she
walks eight blocks to high school and
"We believe deeply in God," she
asked me to take a friend of hers to
was voted outstanding musician at
says. "But we're very unritualistic."
a Christmas party they were having.
her school. (She plays marimba.) She
She is 58. He is 51. "She didn't
Jean said to me, "Ted says he thinks
also swims at the local pool, without
marry me," he says. "She adopted
she might be too much for you.' I
her prostheses. "No one pays any
me."
said, 'What?!'
attention to her," says Robert De-
Dorothy DeBolt already had given
"Here's what she did to me," says,
Bolt. "When she first came, everyone
birth to five children and adopted
Dorothy DeBolt with a grin. "Jean
stared. She looked like a seal with
two Amerasian children when her
called and said, 'I know you don't
her stumps flapping. Swims like one,
first husband, an insurance broker,
ordinarily do this, but I'd love you to
too."
died. The youngest child was 3 at
meet this guy. He's a lovely man,
But there also are problems that
the time. With life insurance money,
good with kids.' She said, 'I've fixed
more typical households have: Ev-
she- put a down payment on the
him up with a lot of nice ladies, but
eryone must have assigned chores or
house in Piedmont. She was making
what he wants is someone intelli-
nothing gets done. There are no ba-
$775 a month. "We were all work-
gent. If she'd said he wanted a sexy
bysitters, and a cleaning woman
ing," she said. "I was working part-
broad, I would have said 'No way.'
comes only occasionally. "She's there
time, teaching piano and speaking. I
"What she really fixed me up with
a few hours and her eyes glaze over,"
begged service clubs to let me speak.
was a sexy; intelligent woman," says
says Dorothy DeBolt.
Then I began speaking to clubs with
Robert DeBolt.
"We took out the television set
budgets-interfamily relations, par-
"Ahhh, thank you, darling," she
about seven years ago-that's what
enting, a career and mothering."
says.
caused friction and arguing,"- said
Then she got a call from an organ-
After the DeBolts were married,
Dorothy DeBolt. "They would sit
ization trying to place severely
they moved into the Piedmont
and stare at the boob tube and argue
wounded Vietnamese children. "A
house, with Robert bringing his 10-
about who's going to watch what."
woman asked if I could recruit fam-
year-old-daughter, Doni. The reac-
(However, somone recently sent
ilies for these two 14-year-olds. I re-
tion in Piedmont had been mixed
them one as a gift. They watch it on
member my mother-she's Swe-
since Dorothy DeBolt had arrived.
weekends.)
dish-used to say to me, 'Doora,'
"My immediate neighbor was lovely,
They always eat dinner together-
she says, mimicking her mother's
others weren't só sure
I got a
at two tables pushed together when
Swedish accent, " 'you haf to learn
note from a neighbor one time that
necessary. And they try to talk about
to listen to God through yoor ea-
said, 'You, Dorothy, are a traitor to
the problems. "We've had kids ex-
hers, not through your stoo-mach.
this country.' It was the Vietnam.
periment with marijuana," says Do-
was on the phone with this woman,
war and I had these Amerasian chil-
rothy DeBolt. "We're not going to
and God said, 'Okay, Dora, why
dren." She also found little hate
say we don't. But no one's gone off
don't you take them?' My head said,
notes in her mailbox: "Why don't
the deep end. They all have their
'No.' My stomach said, 'yes.'
you take these little bastard children
problems, their fears, their crushes
She took them in.
and move out?"
on boys, whether they're paraplegic
Two months later, with nine chil-
"But then it came full circle," she
or not. But I tell my kids, 'You're so
dren, she met Robert DeBolt.
says. "After people realized what we
much luckier than I was.' I was so
"She was a doll," he says. "It was a
were doing, they really tried to help."
boy crazy, so moody. I don't know
blind date. The man who owned the
And the local school system, the De-
how my mother put up with me."