Please welcome our newest CASA Community Member

Contributed by: Karen H. and Ava Adler

Grant Michael W.

Parents: Lea (CASA Volunteer) & Michael W.

Born: January 12, 2011, 10:32 PM

Weight: 7 lbs. 2 oz.

CASA Community Members of the Week

Left to right: Alex B., Ava Adler, and Elyse B.

Name: Elyse B.
Role: CASA Supporter

What interested you about the CASA program?

The CASA program provides for children in a way that most people would not ordinarily think of.  I found its unique aid fascinating and I wanted to help the cause.

Tell us a little bit about your previous Work and/or Volunteer Experience and/or your Education:

I'm a student at Novi High School.  I've volunteered at a few different places (Angela Hospice, Gleaner's Food Bank).

Hobbies/Fun Facts about Yourself:

When I'm not at school, I love to read, dance, and find some way to exercise.  I also love to spend time with my family, including my dog, Buddy.

What is your favorite quote of all time?

When I was in third grade, I did a report on Sarah Grimke.  It began with this quote.  I've always remembered it since.

"All I ask of our brethren is that they take their feet from off our necks."

- Sarah Grimke, abolitionist and women's rights activist 

How did you hear about about the CASA program?

My mother had worked with CASA before and when the opportunity arose to help out, we took it.

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Name: Alex B.

Role: CASA Supporter

What interested you about the CASA program?

The CASA program gives children such basic support.  I can't imagine how difficult it would be to go through childhood without such basic opportunities.

Tell us a little bit about your previous Work and/or Volunteer Experience and/or your Education:

I have volunteered at food banks and as a teacher assistant.


Hobbies/Fun Facts about Yourself:

I play soccer and the drum set.  I am in my high school's band and enjoy computers.

What is your favorite quote of all time?

"Try not.  Do or do not.  There is no try."  - Yoda

How did you hear about about the CASA program?

Word of mouth.

Michigan CASA Story

Contributed by: Stephanie Gunther

On August 22, 2006, our lives changed! I did something I never do - I changed my office message noting that I would be at another building for the day rather than just picking up voicemail messages at the end of the day.

That afternoon, I received a call from our licensing worker asking if I would consider taking three children and doing an emergency license increase.  They had a sibling group who was going to have to be split up. My son, then 15, agreed to share his room with K who was 4.5 years old, B age 3.5, and M, who was 6.5, joined our family the next day.

It was the oddest thing feeling.  A van pulled into our driveway.  Our caseworker opened the side door of the van and their sat three tiny little people.  B had fallen asleep on the twenty minute trip to our home and the tears hadn’t yet dried.  I was terrified, they were terrified, and as a first time foster mom, I had no idea what a journey we were going to embark upon.

The kids were going to be with us just a short time.  Mom and Dad were separated, with Mom living with an abusive boyfriend.  Dad was in jail.  It was felt that once he was free that he would quickly regain custody.  I was naïve and wasn’t sure I should buy Christmas presents!

Within a few days of the kids arriving, we had our first visit from our CASA who had been working on the case prior to them coming into formal care.

As the days became weeks, it became apparent that these kids who were nearly 40 years younger than I am had more life experience then I do.  Kids, who the first time you asked them to drag over the toy box to do a toy sort asked if it was time to sell their toys.  Kids who seemed to always announce things such as "I really like it that you cook the hotdogs" while in a crowded grocery store; or yell when Daddy gets out of jail in Target!  They began to grow and thrive.

Visits with our CASA continued, typically each Sunday afternoon.  As the kids began to relax, it became apparent that secrets were being kept.  Behaviors began to escalate, and, as October came to a close, the Judge ordered visitation suspended.  By December, we were down at CAN council trying to determine if the kids could provide credible testimony to see their biological parents arrested abuse.  In early winter, our family court Judge was giving notice that TPR proceedings would be started soon.  In May, TPR occurred, and in January of 2008, it was upheld.

During this time, it took an entire team of people to support these three little people.  M started kindergarten nearly two years late. B and K started pre-school.

On February 4, 2008, we became a legal family.  Many days continue to be a struggle. When necessary, I can list the alphabet soup that is linked to each of them in some combination: PTSD, survivor of SA, ODD, RAD, FAS. Thankfully, we have days when they are simply growing children who laugh, play and bicker like brothers and sisters do. On the rough days, when they are being sent home from school, I try to take a deep breath and remember that a village let these children down when they were infants. The safety net didn’t help their biological mother who was pregnant at 15 and married to her 24 year old “husband” to keep him out of jail.

I regularly remind school officials, our therapist and our psychiatrist, as well as our friends and family that they are part of our village.  All of us need to work together to do the best job we can to see that these three are productive members of our collective society. I am pleased that after the initial shock, most adults have indeed stepped up to help rather than judge.

To each of you who read this and are part of the safety net of a child or group of children I thank you.  No role is more important than helping to raise productive children, who feel safe.

2010 CASA of Washtenaw Moment

Thank You Note from a CASA Child
Contributed by: Ava Adler

Picture from: themonsterblog.us, Photographer: Michael Harry

In December, 2010, Ian S., a CASA of Washtenaw County volunteer, took his CASA kid, Josh, to the Extreme Monster Truck Nationals Event at the Palace of Auburn Hills, Michigan.  The Palace made available tickets to events that were taking place around Thanksgiving.  After the event, Josh wrote the following note to Ian & Friends of CASA:


Dear Friends of CASA,

Thank you for the tickets to the monster truck jam.  My favorite was the doughnut contest and the freestyle contest.  It was loud and smoky and we had good seats and had a lot of fun.

Josh W.

2010 CASA of Washtenaw Moment

2010 Michigan CASA Conference

November 12 - 13, 2010

Jan N., Kathy P., Gini Harmon, Susan S., Ava Adler &amp & Ian S.

Contributed by: Ava Adler

The conference was great.  It was called a “Legacy of One”  and honored Pat Wagner, the previous executive director of Michigan CASA who passed away in April, 2010.  The intention was to emphasize her years of incredible work and dedication not only to Michigan CASA but to the child welfare community as a whole.  Pat was responsible for serving as “the wind beneath the wings” of at least 20 county programs in the State which were started and nurtured under her tenure.   The advocate of the year award was re-named the “Patricia Wagner Volunteer of the Year”. 
  
The conference was held in Grand Rapids @ The Crown Plaza Hotel and about 160 people were in attendance.  Workshop topics included Native American Children and Families in State Court, Conflict Resolution Skills for CASA Volunteers, Fundraising - Art or Science, a panel of older foster care children “aging out of the system”, trauma informed assessments of children in the child welfare system and more.

The CASA of Washtenaw County volunteers who attended left inspired and invigorated, ready to re-face the challenges of their cases.  And, both Gini Harmon and Jan Nyman won raffle baskets in the annual raffle of county created baskets which rasied over $2,000 to offset conference costs. 

We are looking forward to sending a contingent to the National CASA Conference, March 19-22, 2011.  It will take place in Chicago and is called “Building Hope for Youth”.