BUENA PARK : ‘Grandparents Day’ Scheduled Saturday

Irene Koontz knows the heartache of raising her own grandchild. But she also knows the rewards.

Koontz is founder of Hearts United, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, a nonprofit support organization that is sponsoring a “Grandparents Day” seminar Saturday at the International Printing Museum, 8469 Kass Drive.

The daylong event, starting at 9 a.m., will feature a host of speakers to inform grandparents about their rights regarding their grandchildren.

“What they’re going to get out of it is education,” said Koontz, 53, of Buena Park, who is raising her 7-year-old grandson.

“Grandparents need to know what’s going on. We need to be able to help make changes to protect the kids,” she said. “The bottom line is we love these kids. We certainly have lost one generation. We don’t want to lose another one.”

Among the speakers will be judges, legislators, attorneys, psychologists, therapists and child advocates. They will address such issues as guardianship and visitation rights, gang and drug involvement, parenting skills, as well as dealing with a child’s emotional wounds and how to find the money to support a grandchild.

Speaker Dorothea C.R. Blaine, a Santa Ana attorney who specializes in child custody, will discuss how grandparents can obtain guardianship of their grandchildren.

Koontz said the most common reason for a grandparent to end up raising a grandchild is because the parent is using drugs and does not accept parental responsibility.

While the job of raising a grandchild can be rewarding, it’s not an easy task.

“You’re in your twilight years, and all of a sudden you’re raising kids with bottles and diapers and looking for baby-sitters at a time when you want to travel,” she said. “You find your vacations are put on hold, you lose your friends and you’re starting all over again.”

A $5 donation is requested to help offset costs. Lunch will be provided. For more information on the seminar, call Koontz at (714) 761-4561.