On March 1, our eight new volunteer advocates of the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program were sworn in at the Children First Pope Street Cottage. They will advocate for 10-15 abused and neglected children in the Athens-Oconee court system. 

These volunteers, as appointed by a juvenile court judge, will be gathering information about the children’s cases, attend all court proceedings and give independent reports to the judge in the best interest of the children. They will help to ensure that the children they speak for will have a safe and permanent home as quickly as possible.

Carol Pickersgill, one of our volunteers, expressed her excitement for this moment and cannot wait to start working. “I’ve already made an appointment to see my girl to get things moving forward.” said Carol. Knowing that the little girl likes to read Stephen King, Carol decided to bring her a book of Stephen King and a snickers bar for her. At the same time, the volunteers are also aware that being a CASA means taking responsibilities. “It’s an awesome responsibility in every sense of the word.” said Julie Bower, a new CASA volunteer. 

An appreciation dinner was followed after the swearing in. Friends and families celebrated this special moment together with our volunteers and staff. More pictures of the ceremony and celebration can be found on our EVENTS page and FACEBOOK page.

Our Athens-Oconee CASA program now has 54 volunteers working with over 110 children. We are currently recruiting new volunteers for its May training session. You can find the information on the CASA page of our Website by clicking HERE. 

Susan Williams has been a CASA volunteer for the past four years and has truly embodied the work of a CASA and what it means to advocate for a child in need. She resides in Bogart, GA and is a wife and mother of three. After she heard about CASA from a friend who learned the program from the Athens Banner-Herald, Susan was immediately intrigued and couldn't wait to learn more. Having some previous experience with the foster system, Susan knew this would be a great fit for her. With the career background as an architect, her precision and eye for detail shows in the meticulousness in which she maintains her CASA notes and files.

In her four years with the program, Susan notes that there are some ups and downs that come along with the territory. She finds one of the most challenging aspects of being a CASA is the heart-broken feeling that can come along with the job. “Sometimes kids end up in the best place available, but not where you ideally desire” she says. On the other hand, Susan finds it utterly rewarding knowing that her time, effort and passion to help will potentially better the outcome of a child’s life because a CASA was there to speak for them.  The most valuable lesson Susan takes away from this experience is the fact that the work is  truly worth the investment of yourself and your time. The advice she gives to future CASA volunteers would be to utilize your resources, run all information, questions and concerns by your supervisor and rely on the support they give. Susan is truly dedicated to her position and has made a difference in her community and in the lives of the children she has advocated for. 

Renaldo Stover, one of our dedicated CASA Volunteers, was interviewed at the 2010 National CASA Conference.  Renaldo talks about his work with a teen in foster care, his dedication to family connections, and his efforts to give this teen opportunities for success.  Take a few moments to hear his story.
Click here to find out more about Renaldo and his work as a child advocate.