November Pinellas Child Advocate

Kathie Minidis

After retiring as a Project Manager for 16 years,  Kathie Minidis was in the St. Petersburg Courthouse for jury duty when given a brochure for the Guardian ad Litem Program urging volunteers to sign up. Kathie was looking for a place to volunteer to give back and after reviewing the information Kathie decided to sign up and take the class.

Child Advocacy Manager,

December Pinellas Child Advocates

Dan and Pam Pearch

December GAL of the Month is a "Two-Fer".  Dan and Pam Pearch are a husband/wife volunteer team who have been with Guardian ad Litem Program since March of 2018. Each of them carries a case individually and then they team up on a case of six children. They are extremely dedicated to their children and maintain close and positive relationships with case managers, caregivers, and parents even under the sad circumstances of TPR.   Dan's has patiently and persistently visited in person and by phone with a young teen boy who absolutely, positively does not want to talk to anyone related to his case. The child has run out of the building and out the door upon Dan's arrival. Dan has not been deterred for the almost 18 months he's been on the case.  

Pam's heart is on her sleeve for the children. She has tremendous empathy and ability to understand both the parents and the children's situations. Pam held the hand of an ill, homeless, and extremely intoxicated parent while she tried to come to grips of letting go of her beloved three year old so that child could have a future that the mother knew she could not provide.

Child Advocacy Manager,

Pam Smith

December Pasco Child Advocate

Beth Melton

Beth Melton has served as a Dade City VCA since February 2018. She currently works as a school administrator and teacher and has been involved working with children in social work and education for the past 25 years. Beth is in the process of seeking her Master's in Social Work degree from University of Central Florida and is completing her internship at the Dade City Guardian ad Litem office from August 2019 - August 2020. Upon completion of her MSW, Beth has an interest of serving her local community in the Dade City area in the field of child welfare. Beth has been a fantastic volunteer and intern. She is enthusiastic about learning and does wonderful research on current events and policies relating to foster care. We are lucky to have her!

Child Advocacy Manager,

Alyssa Bambard

January Pasco Child Advocate

Peggy Mitchell

Peggy Mitchell, Pasco County's January 2020 GAL of the Month,, stated in her final interview, "I want to help kids, " and that is exactly what she has done. Peggy's first case closed on December 10, 2019. When this case opened, the father was in jail, and the mother died one month after the case opened. Peggy was with the children to comfort them after they found out about their mother's death, and has been a stable force in their lives for the last year and a half. She attended IEP meetings at their school, and kept up with their medical needs through the children's recent eye surgeries. The father's rights were terminated and the foster placement has become an adoptive home.

Peggy was born in Jacksonville, Florida, the 6th child in a sibling group that totaled 12 children. She has 60 nieces and nephews. She said the positive part of a large family was that she was never alone, but with a family that large, she had to "assume a lot of responsibility at a young age." Her first job was in the computer industry and technology became her career choice. She married and had two children. She and her husband built a boat in their back yard, quit their jobs, sold their house, took the children and went sailing-for the next six months. Sadly, her husband passed away in 1992, and today she lives in Wesley Chapel with her daughter and grandson.

Before becoming a Guardian ad Litem, Peggy worked for IBM and today travels around the country as a project management instructor, and adds, "I'm very good at it."  Peggy sees that being a Guardian ad Litem is a way "to give back for all of the blessings I've had." The Dade City office is very glad Peggy decided to take the road that led to the Dade City Guardian Office. She has been a blessing to this office, to the children assigned to her, and to the 6th Circuit Guardian ad Litem Program.

Child Advocacy Manager,
Kristi Anson 

Volunteer Team Leader,

Jean McNary