2010 Michigan CASA Conference
November 12 - 13, 2010
Jan N., Kathy P., Gini Harmon, Susan S., Ava Adler & & 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”.
No comments:
Post a Comment