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Seasonal
Gifts and Tax Deductions
CASA 101
Informational Sessions
Meet Our New Director
CASA Wish List
Monthly Newsletter
New
CASAs Complete Training |
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Welcome to Cape Girardeau area CASA
Online!
CASA Volunteers are special people who
represent the needs of children - and only the children - in court
cases involving abuse and/or neglect in the 32nd Judicial Circuit. As such,
CASA volunteers serve as the eyes and ears of the judge, gathering
relevant information about the child and the family, and then make
recommendations to the judge regarding what is in the child's
best interests.
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Why
does a child need a CASA volunteer?
When
the court is making decisions that will affect a child's future, the
child needs and deserves a spokesperson - an objective adult to
provide independent information about the best interests of the
child. While other parties in the case are concerned about the
child, they also have other interests. The CASA volunteer is
the only person in the case whose sole concern is the best interest
of the child. CASA volunteers are assigned one case at a time to provide a "voice in
court". A CASA volunteer gives individual attention to
each case.
An
abused or neglected child has come from a world of chaos and
instability. For the child, there is fear; fear of being hurt;
fear of being alone and fear about the future. For children
who are in and out of home placements, there can be many changes in
schools and homes before a decision is made on where the child
should live. A CASA volunteer can be the source of
stability and comfort to fill an enormous void in the child's
life. A CASA volunteer is a trusted, dependable adult who
doesn't go away and who gives the child hope for a better future.
For
more Questions and Answers click on Volunteer FAQ.
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2009 Swearing In
Ceremonies
CASA Monthly Newsletter
Wal-Mart Stores Make $5000 Donation
Joan Drury Creates Charitable Fund to Benefit CASA
Let
Us Make a Presentation to Your Members
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You can't
control where abused children come from, but you can have
something to do with where they end up.
Volunteers
Needed!
Cape Girardeau
County Area
Speak Up for a
Child
573-335-1726 |
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CASA
Honors Their Volunteers |
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CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates of Southeast Missouri, Inc.)
held an appreciation dinner at Southeast Missouri Hospital in honor of their volunteers and their dedication to the abused and neglected
children of Southeast Missouri. The event included dinner provided
by Southeast Missouri Hospital and an awards program. The guest
speaker was the Honorable Scott E. Thomsen. |
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Judge Thomsen discussed the role of CASA in the Juvenile Court
System and stressed the importance of the information provided by
CASA volunteers. Year after year, dedicated citizens come forward to
volunteer with CASA and for that, CASA is grateful. Being a CASA
volunteer can be demanding and does requires commitment in time and
effort. The rewards, though, are significant and often the results
have a lifelong impact upon those children. We are truly blessed!
Pictured from left to
right: Standing: Connie Houston, Sybil Walley, Eileen Schlichting,
Chris Tourville, Pat Edwards, Linda Reutzel, Julie & Carl Boitnott,
Shervana Small, Sue Crossen and Sue Rees. Seated are Sue Traw,
Elizabeth “Boots” Jessup, Sheryl Dunavan, Carolyn Pendergrass, Connie Unterreiner, Elaine Jackson, and Jeanine Hager. Those not
present: Mary Ambery, Larry Bill, Jan Copeland, Joan Drury, Aaron Horrell, Darlene Jennings,
Clarice Jones, Heather Perreault, Natalie & James Ricks,
Melissa Rose, Sara Ryan, Cathy Schroeder, Judy Seabaugh, Phyllis
Severs, Pat Sweeney, Chris Tourville, Kerry Wallaert, and Amond
Williams. |
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CASA held an appreciation dinner at Southeast Missouri Hospital in
honor of their volunteers and their dedication to the abused and
neglected children of Southeast Missouri. The event included dinner
provided by Southeast Missouri Hospital and an awards program. Also
in attendance were guest speakers utilized during CASA training
which was held four times in 2008. We are very thankful for those
instructors and for their commitment to our program. We are so
honored to have so many individuals make CASA their choice for
volunteering. It is a demanding volunteer “job”. However, lifelong
impact can take place and that is priceless. We are very blessed! |
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Pictured from left to right:
Standing: Aaron Horrell, Darlene Jennings, Robert Thornburgh, Connie
Unterreiner, Pam Jenkins, CASA Case Supervisor, Larry Bill, Chris
Tourville, Jeanine Hager, Heather Perreault, Pat Edwards, Shervana
Small, Linda Reutzel, Pat Sweeney, Mary Lowry, Mary Ambery, Carl
Boitnott, Julie Boitnott, Natalie Ricks, James Ricks.
Seated: Claire Campbell, Juvenile Officer, Sybil Walley, Sue Crossen,
Jan Copeland, Sue Traw, and Carolyn Pendergrass.
CASA volunteers not pictured are Wilma Camp, Beth Brotherton, Joan
Drury, Savannah Gibbar, Tonya Harrell, Candi Hill, Connie Houston,
Elaine Jackson, Clarice Jones, Diane Klueppel, Sue Rees, Eileen
Schlichting, Cathy Schroeder, Judy Seabaugh, and Steve Simmons. |
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CASA held an appreciation dinner in honor of their volunteers and
their dedication to the abused and neglected children of Southeast
Missouri. The event was held at Southeast Hospital with dinner
followed by a few rounds of the CASA Jeopardy game. Two CASAs, Opal
Aden and Eileen Schlichting, were celebrating their 13th
year as a CASA Volunteer. Opal received a heartfelt good-bye, as
this was her last night with us as a volunteer. It was a great night
for everyone and we are so honored to have such wonderful people
doing wonderful work for the children of Southeast Missouri. |
Pictured from left to
right:
Back row: Cathy Schroeder, Judy Seabaugh, Shirley Seabaugh, Larry
Bill, Jan Copeland, Darlene Jennings, Aaron Horrell, Pat Edwards and
Joan Drury.
Front row: Sue Haff, Jeanine Hager, Mary Ambery, Opal Aden, Chris
Tourville, Ann Watson, Connie Unterreiner, Sue Rees, and Sue Crossen.
Not pictured are Robby Bailey, Wilma Camp, Barb Campbell, Savannah
Gibbar, Tonya Harrell, Diane Heuring, Candi Hill, Elaine Jackson,
Teresa Johnson, Mary Lowry, Eileen Schlichting, Rita Shaffer, Steve
Simmons, Duncan T. Smith, Robert Thornburgh, and Donna Wheeler. |
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Meet Our New Director
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CASA is pleased to
announce Linda Nash has joined our organization as Executive
Director.
Linda Clark Nash is a
native of Southeast Missouri. She graduated from Southeast
Missouri State University with a B.S. degree in Secondary Education
and a M.A. in History, and taught history at Jackson High School for
31 years. For the past five years, she has served as the
executive director of two U.S. Department of Education professional
development grants which she wrote. The grant serves history
teachers from a thirteen district consortium in Southeast Missouri
which is headed by the Jackson RII district in partnership with
Southeast Missouri State University. |
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Linda serves as
acquisitions and exhibits coordinator for the Red House
Interpretive Center where she also serves on the Board of
Directors. She is married to Phillip Nash and has two children
and five step children. The Nash's live in Jackson, Missouri. |
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2009 Swearing In Ceremonies |
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Judge Peter Statler
swore in six new volunteers for CASA. They took an oath to do
their best to protect and defend the rights of the children they
will represent. They join the CASA program's current 31
volunteers, bring the total to 37 volunteers for the Cape Girardeau,
Bollinger and Perry counties.
Pictured left to
right: Amond Williams, Phyllis Severs, Sara Ryan, Melissa Rose,
Sheila Crass, Kerry Wallaert and Judge Peter Statler. |
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Sheryl Dunavan was
sworn in by the Honorable Judge Statler. |
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Elizabeth "Boots"
Jessup was
sworn in by the Honorable Judge Statler. |
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CASA Monthly Newsletter
CASA's
October/November Newsletter is available as a PDF document for you to
download. To download the document,
click here.
Past issues of the
CASA Newsletter are also available to download. For a complete
listing, click here.
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Wal-Mart Stores Make $5000 Donation |
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Court Appointed Special Advocates of
Southeast Missouri were honored to accept a $5000 donation from
Wal-Mart Stores at the 8th Annual CASA BBQ benefit. Those
pictured are State Senator Jason Crowell, who procured the donation;
Wal-Mart representative, Ray Crum, and CASA staff: Pam Jenkins, Lori
Schutte, and Sue Haff. Also pictured is Frank Kinder, CASA supporter
and emcee for the BBQ event. |
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Joan Drury Creates Charitable Fund to Benefit CASA |
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Court Appointed Special Advocates of
Southeast Missouri (CASA) is honored with the act of generosity by
Joan Drury who has created a charitable fund to further CASA's mission
of representing the needs of children in court cases involving abuse
and/or neglect. As a CASA volunteer, Joan is an 8-year advocate for
these children, ensuring they have a safe, permanent home. It is this
kind of long-term commitment and support, both personally and
financially, of CASA that will change the lives of children and our
community today and for years to come. Pictured are
Lori
Schutte, Joan Drury, and Pam Jenkins. |
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Let
Us Make a Presentation to Your Members
We would like to come
and speak to your civic, fraternal, or community organization about
our mission and goals. Please contact us
to have
one of our staff or board members make a presentation to your
membership.
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Caring
Citizens:
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