A WARM Legacy: The story of Mickey LeClair

So, how are those New Year’s resolutions coming along? 

Since we are nearing the midpoint of 2024, maybe the following volunteer achievements will bolster your resolve to make the world a better place or your corner of the universe. 

Any time during a year is a good time to reflect and improve.

While most of us cannot achieve the breadth of this lady’s volunteer experience, we can try to give back or pay it forward. 

Here is the story of a woman’s dedication to reunite families and fulfill any other position needed within WARM – Washington Adoption Reunion Movement.

I was fortunate to be the Confidential Intermediary (CI) in the early 1980s for Mickey’s husband, an adoptee. Through the process her talents and her desire to use them were obvious. Over the decades, WARM has been the recipient of her sharing of time, talent, and treasure. She has decided to retire……..for the most part. 

The following is an excerpt from the latest WARM newsletter and was written by Michelle Meeker.

Mickey LeClair

It’s Time to Tell the story of Mickey LeClair, the organization’s hidden Treasure who is a Thorough Trustworthy Teacher of Truthfulness while being a Tenderhearted Tenacious WARM volunteer who Thoughtfully Tackles Terrific Tantalizing Tireless hours of Time to Transcend Togetherness for Totally everyone! 

After 40 years, she has decided to put down her pen, turn off her computer, and spend more time with family. She will retire, although will continue to be on the WARM advisory board.

Let’s go back in time and acknowledge all she has contributed, and the changes that she has experienced during her tenure. Her career at WARM started in 1983 helping the organization by working in the office, doing cases, and all while raising nine children. 

She was first drawn to WARM as her husband Earl is an adoptee, so this was her deep-seated motivation. He has been her inspiration and support all these years.

Looking through the eyes of Mickey, with her 40 years of service to WARM, we would see a long list of duties. Some of these include working in the office, board member, support group facilitator, advisory board member, editor, and CI liaison. 

 However, her primary focus was always on her clients. When we asked how many searches she was involved with, she reviewed her five crates of closed files and counted over 1100 cases.

All the reunion stores are told in our quarterly Warm Journeys newsletter. Mickey is the queen of this quarterly task, which is an adventure all on its own. She has created special editions, flyers, book reviews, WARM Readers Write, News and Notes, but most of all Mickey is the editor! 

Counting over 400+ volumes, means that she has edited over 2,800 issues, plus she reads the last version out loud for that final check. In 1995 Warm Journeys had a mailing list of 350 addresses and twelve pages. It slowly reduced in size and by 2015 the newsletter was eight pages, 2018 four pages and it is now 100% electronic in 2023. 

No more trips to the print shop, or stuffing envelopes. Mickey, we thank you immensely and without your efforts the WARM organization would not have the beloved WARM Journeys newsletters.

Another duty that Mickey voluntarily does is helping other CI’s. She trained the new CI’s, created the training materials, taught the class, and reviewed many exam papers. As the CI liaison and leader, she guided and advised the most complex and complicated cases.

One evening every month she facilitated the Sumner support group at the local Library. Back in the 80’s she had nearly 25-30 attendees which included adoptees, birth mothers, adoptive parents, siblings, and other family members touched by adoption. 

Mickey always had books, flyers, spare newsletters and lots of good articles for those attendees. She also delivered a multitude of WARM brochures to the many libraries and public offices in Pierce County. Sadly, the support group meeting stopped like lots of other things during the pandemic and has not resumed.

The reunions Mickey has made happen for WARM clients is the largest and most unmeasurable contribution. The multitude of emotions that came directly from the heart of so many. In reflecting back, Mickeys says she learns something from each case whether there is a reunion or not, and even learns more about herself.

Are you up for the challenge to volunteer? Provide some organization with your legacy?

In 2026, WARM will celebrate 50 years of community service as Washington's premier search and reunion resource.

Pam Queen
WARM Confidential Intermediary/Treasurer/30-year volunteer
Shoreline Resident