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CASA announces gala kick-off luncheon
By Kim Nguyen, Staff Writer
A fall fashion “Have a Heart” kick-off luncheon for the My Funny Valentine Gala benefitting CASA of Collin County is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. on Sept. 26 at the Olea Mediterranean Bistro, located at 5609 Preston Road in Plano.
The luncheon event will feature Lisa Rowe of “The Perfect Image” presenting informal modeling and fall fashion styles and trends as well as several exciting raffle items. CASA chairpersons attending the luncheon will be Diane Chester, president of the CASA of Collin County Board of Directors, and board member Nancy Murphy.
The luncheon is open to the public. Tickets are $35 each or $60 for two and are available by calling Irene Rodriguez at the CASA of Collin County office, 972-529-2272.
Proceeds from the Gala help the CASA of Collin County provide services to children removed from their homes in the event of child abuse as determined by the Child Protection Agency.
“Unfortunately as the area’s population grows, so does the instances of child abuse and neglect,” Mormon said. “But we have a highly trained staff to help these children in need.”
The Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Collin County, Inc. is located at 112 W. Virginia Street in McKinney and has 170 active volunteers who advocate for children who have been removed from their homes in Collin County due to abuse and neglect.
“The CASA program was named by the United States Justice System as the prime program in the country to provide for children in the courts system,” Mormon said.
Mormon credits CASA’s success to the one-on-one approach CASA volunteers offer to the children, providing the kind of support that keeps a child from creating an abusive personality and returning into the courts system.
The more than 175 volunteers donated in excess of 25,000 hours of volunteer time last year, each focusing on the child’s best interest through services, treatment and placement. These sworn child advocates are given constant support and guidance by professional staff as well as training in child development, communications and cultural competency skills.
The strength of the CASA program lies in providing care and support on a one-to-one basis throughout the court process, allowing the child and volunteer to develop a trusting, nurturing relationship.
Nationwide, the CASA program has evolved into one of the largest volunteer organizations in the country with more than 900 programs in operation, at least one in every state. In Texas in 2007, 4,928 CASA volunteers advocated for 20,509 children in 202 counties.
Texas law gives all children removed from their homes the right to an advocate, necessitating those counties without CASA programs to pay for advocates. In Collin County, CASA saves residents $4.3 million be performing this valuable service for 100 percent of neglected and abused children entering the court system.
More information on the Court Appointed Special Advocates of Collin County, Inc. can be found online at http://www.casaofcollincounty.org.
Contact Kim Nguyen at knguyen@acnpapers.com
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