China trip has special meaning for Fox River Grove family

A recent holiday to China wasn't all about seeing the attractions for the Vogel family.

It was also about giving back.

Madelyn Vogel, 10, of Fox River Grove, was born in China and John and Elaine Vogel adopted her from the Wuzhou Welfare Institute - an orphanage in south central China - when she was nearly eight months old.

They planned a two-week trip back there - which they returned from earlier in August - so that they and their daughter could learn more about her heritage.

A few months ago, Madelyn, with her mom Elaine's help, decided she wanted to raise money for her orphanage, so she made glycerin soap bars with rubber duckies inside - a talent she learned last summer in girl scout camp.

"The orphanage needed it for the foster families that were there and the kids that were there, too," said Madelyn, who attends Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic School in Cary.

She sold them for $3.50 a pop at school and her father John also helped sell them at his job - in both cases, people knew they would be supporting Madelyn's orphanage.

People snapped them right up and in the end, she raised $400.

While in China, the family spent $225 on three fans for the orphanage's preschool classrooms and donated the remaining funds to the orphanage as well.

"They were amazed," said Elaine Vogel. "They were just so grateful and amazed and I had to laugh because the director was like so proud and he kept saying, "one of our kids" (did this)."

Madelyn said she noticed the contrast between life in Fox River Grove and in Wuzhou straight away.

Instead of paved streets, she saw plenty of rice farms and dirt roads frequented by chickens and pigs in the modest community.

It was her first time back since she was an infant.

"It was very different from where I live now," she said.

The orphanage's director thanked the family by taking them out to lunch and frequently toasting to their good health, John Vogel said.

"They kind of rolled out the red carpet," he said. "Coming away from that, Maddi had a better understanding of where she came from and that she was loved and cared for by some wonderful people."

Besides the orphanage, the family's itinerary also included visiting pandas in a local preserve, praying in the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, and taking a stroll down the Great Wall of China.

"It was cool on the Great Wall," John Vogel said. "Maddi was approached by a number of little Chinese girls that were celebrating 50 or 60 years of the new government there and they were asking people if they'd write a wish in English (on their note cards)."

So what did she write?

"I wrote happy birthday and best wishes from Maddi," Madelyn said.

Lenore Adkins covers Algonquin, Lake in the Hills, McHenry County College, Pingree Grove, Cary and Fox River Grove. To reach her, send an e-mail to ladkins@dailyherald.com or dial (847) 608-2725.