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Courtesy PhotoImage
Pictured, front row from left, CASA volunteers Janet Winder, Tim Anderson, Ramona Lancaster, Lori Dosen and Joni Lloyd. Back row: Executive Director Stephanie Miller, and advocates Vicki Holmes, Becky Manning, Wendi Cohn, Paul Wolfe, Babatunde Olajobi and Louise Hoffmann.
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Eleven court-appointed special advocates (CASA volunteers) for troubled children were recently sworn in and are ready to go to work. The advocates are the front persons for children who are victims of neglect or abuse and involved in social service and court cases. In many instances, the CASA advocates become the most constant adult presence in the child’s life. The new advocates join seven others who were sworn in in June. Together they are starting to address the need in Lincoln County, where 140 children are typically in the court system, according to organizers. There is one advocate per child, or sometimes, one advocate per family of children. Each advocate has completed nearly 40 hours of training and will maintain a training schedule annually. The program relies on donations and/or grant money to meet the costs of a part-time executive director. Kristen Parker of First National Bank has organized a Christmas cookie fundraiser for CASA. For $20, a contributor gets a plate of a dozen assorted homemade cookies and candies delivered. Orders must be received by 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 19 and will be delivered on Dec. 20-21. Call 535-6372 or email Parker at kparker@fnbnp.com. The new advocates are Janet Winder, Tim Anderson, Ramona Lancaster, Lori Dosen, Joni Lloyd, Vicki Holmes, Becky Manning, Wendi Cohn, Paul Wolfe, Babatunde Olajobi and Louise Hoffmann. They were sworn in by Lincoln County Judge Michael Piccolo, and they join advocates Jeanie Gilbert, Michelle Grier, Rebecca Steele, Barb McIntosh, Pat Cooper, Dawn Lydic and Tony Marinez, who were sworn in in July. Another training class will be held in the spring, one of two classes each year. To volunteer, call Executive Director Stephanie Miller at 520-0577. After the new advocates were sworn in, they and some of the CASA board members met for a lunch provided by Subway.
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