AUGUST 217: CONTINUING EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES / EVENTS / NEWS

Welcome New Chief Judge William Bain 

CASA extends our gratitude and very best wishes to Fourth Judicial District Chief Judge Gilbert Martinez upon his retirement. As many of you know, Judge Martinez (pictured left), always appreciated CASAs in his courtroom, and took pride in swearing in all new CASA volunteers. Judge Martinez dedicated his career on the bench to the safety and welfare of children and he will be missed!

We also offer a warm welcome to Judge William Bain (pictured right) who took the reins as chief judge on August 1.


Our New Home...It's Official  

Thanks to the work of the CASA board, we finalized the purchase of the new CASA building on August 1st. Located at 418 S. Weber Street (formerly The Resource Exchange), this new space provides twice the square footage as our former building and will allow us to bring all programs, including The Hanger under one roof.  We are currently working on some improvements to the interior and are on track for the November move-in date. Stay tuned for info on a grand opening celebration in December.

UPCOMING IN-SERVICES & EVENTS

AUG 17:  DHS Training: Family Engagement Meetings
El Paso County Department of Human Services is offering  a training on the Family Engagement Meetings to include the Team Decision-making   Meeting (TDM) and Family Care Meeting (FCM) processes. 

When:   August 17, 2017 from 4:00pm to 6:00pm
Where : El Paso County Department of Human Services  
1675 Garden of the Gods Road,  3rd floor in the Nautilus Room
RSVP:  T o Crystal Erickson cyrstale@casappr.org


AUG 20:  Back to School Barbecue for Teens
If you're a CASA working with a teen in foster care, bring them to the  Milton Foster Children's Fund's  Back to School Barbecue to help kick off the   school year right!  

Where:  Broadmoor Community Church, 315 Lake Ave.
When:  Sunday, August 20th from 3:00-5:00pm
RSVP: To  Jill Cheetham  jillc@casappr.org  by Wednesday, August 16th


AUG 23: Supervised Visitation In-Service with Diane Baird
Who: CASA Advocates & SEPT Facilitators
When: Wednesday, August 23rd, 5:30pm-8:00pm
Where: VFW, 430 E. Pikes Peak Avenue, Colorado Springs
RSVP: To  RebekahC@casappr.org by Friday, August 18th Space is limited and will fill up quickly! 
 
Diane Baird is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and instructor in the department of Pediatrics at the University Of Colorado School Of Medicine, at the Kempe Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect. Diane will be covering warning signs, deescalation techniques, and other pertinent information on family dynamics and visitations.  Learn more about Diane.

Toddler Tips: Developmental Milestones and Reading Readiness

If you have a child 0-6 years old on your case, CASA has resources to help you better understand developmental milestones and explain the importance of reading. We have packets of information about these subjects, plus some parent resources and fun activities. These are available for caregivers, foster parents, and parents. For more information, contact Catherine Sidor at 719-447-9898, x1014 or catherines@casappr.org.

Advocating for Educational Success


As kids head back to school, CASA volunteers are spending a little extra time in the classroom as well. Your connection and presence in our children's school is crucial. 


Quilts for CASA Kids

Does your CASA child need to something to comfort them? A very special volunteer, Sandra Kyner, is offering to make quilts for your CASA children. She likes to have a child in mind while she is working on a quilt, and would like to know the following information to make a quilt:
  • Age
  • Gender
  • Favorite Color/Colors
  • A theme for the quilt - something they like/or have interest in (Examples: Spiderman, Animals, Hearts, Sports, etc.)
If you would like a quilt made for your CASA child, please email the above information to Angela Rose at angelar@casappr.org. A quilt order will then be made for you! Sandra is excited to get started, so please send your orders!

Looking for Co-Facilitators to Help with Volunteer Training

Do you remember how you felt when you were sitting in advocacy training class?  You were probably experiencing a mix of excitement and nervousness as you learned more about what being an advocate is all about. 
 
When new advocates are in training, CASA strives to equip them well.  In all of the feedback we receive, we consistently hear how much new advocates appreciate hearing from seasoned advocates and Peer Coordinators during their training experience. 
 
We are currently looking for more co-facilitators for our classes so we can continue to provide advocates in training with the wisdom and experience only seasoned advocates and Peer Coordinators can provide.  Would you please consider sharing your knowledge with others as a co-facilitator? 
 
To become a co-facilitator, advocates and Peer Coordinators need to complete our Train the Trainer class which will be scheduled for September or October.  Please contact D&N Program Manager Crystal Erickson at crystale@casappr.org if you are interested in getting involved. 

Collin's Story

Collin was only six years old when we was placed in his first foster home and endured the traumatic effects of living in 13 different placements. His advocate, Karen Hilborn, was the one consistent adult he could count on during that period of this life. Karen worked closely with CASA's Life Long Links family finding program to successfully locate family members who were eager to provide Collin with a safe, permanent, and loving home. Now 18, Collin is an inspiring young man.  He shared his story at the Light of Hope event in April, and will return in October to be the features speaker at the Light of Hope North event at the Wedgewood in Black Forest. 

Karen Hilborn has been serving children as a Court Appointed Special Advocate in Colorado Springs for 25 years. She is our longest-term volunteer who has never quit on a child...not one.  We are grateful for your dedication, Karen!

Host a Table at Light of Hope North

CASA's 6th Annual Light of Hope North Luncheon
Wedgewood Banquet Center in Black Forest
Wednesday, October 4, 201712:30 - 1:30 p.m. 
 
CASA is hosting the 6th Annual Light of Hope North Fundraiser featuring former foster youth Collin (above).   We would love for you to join us as a Table Host for this event, which would include filling a table of ten, including you, with guests who have a   heart for the mission of CASA and would consider giving a financial gift. There are also sponsorship opportunities available. If you would like to host a table, attend the   event, or learn more about sponsoring, please contact Jill Cheetham,   jillc@casappr.org  or 719-447-9898 ext 1026.