December 2018: News, Events, and Opportunities for CASA Volunteers 
 
 Letter from CASA Executive Director Angela Rose  
 
Dear CASA Volunteers:
 
Well here we are in the home stretch of 2018! The holiday season is a time to reflect on what we are grateful for, and I personally am grateful for each of YOU! The work you are doing for the children in our community is nothing short of amazing!  
 
Last week, CASA swore in  
15 new volunteers at the El Paso County courthouse. They will join you in the new year as advocates and SEPT facilitators, and they'll be a big part of us meeting our Vision 2020 to serve every child in need! Click here to meet them now.  
 
Another big part of meeting our Vision 2020 is the Community Campaign. With a goal of $2.8 million, this campaign will enable us to provide long-term, sustainable programming into the future. We're pleased to announce the month of December took us to 70% of our goal! Watch for information soon on a really fun way you can get involved with the campaign.  
 
Since we are in the middle of winter, I want to remind you of our inclement weather policy. If the court is closed, we are closed, and you can check closures by dialing the inclement weather line at 719-520-SNOW (7669). Also as a reminder, the CASA office will be closed on Dec. 24, 25, 31, and Jan. 1.  
   
Thank you all so much for brightening up the life of a child during this important season and all year long. Reach out to me any time at angelar@casappr.org.
 
Happy Holidays, 
Angela 
 
Upcoming Trainings & Events for Volunteers  
 
Listed below are some upcoming events you might be interested in. Full details are available by clicking the links below or by visiting the CASA event calendar.  
   
Dec. 18: Santa's Shop Opens! 
Dec. 19: CASA/DHS Partnership Training
Jan. 8: Volunteer Informational Hour
Jan. 8: Human Trafficking in PP Region
Feb. 12: Annual CASA Volunteer Meeting 
 
Please note: The CASA office will be closed Dec. 24-25, Dec. 31-Jan. 1, Jan. 21, and Feb. 18.  
 
Milton Foster Children's Fund
HAPPENINGS
  • Art Class
  • Teen Life Skills
  • Guitar Lessons
  • Tutoring Opportunities
To learn more, click here.
 
Please note: The Hanger will be closed Dec. 22 and 29 and will reopen on Jan. 5.  
Santa's Shop opens this week... Get ready to shop! 
 
Santa's Shop will open in the CASA office on Tuesday, Dec. 18 at 1:00.

Please make sure you check with your CASA child's caregiver to get sizes, favorite colors, and other likes before you shop. For each child, you may choose 1 outfit, 1 toy, 1 book, and 1 pair of pajamas. The shop hours will be:

Tuesday, Dec. 18 -- 1 PM - 5 PM
Wednesday, Dec. 19 --  8 AM - 5 PM
Thursday, Dec. 20 -- 8 AM - Noon
Friday, Dec. 21 --  8 AM - 5 PM

Please remember that the CASA office closes at 5 PM. If you cannot make it in to shop, you may contact Karen Hilborn at hilborn@centurylink.net by Monday, Dec. 17 and request that volunteers choose items for your to pick up.
 
Registration is open NOW for Camp Shady Brook!  
 
Registration for Camp Shady Brook is already open and they believe they will be full by March. Please register your kids ASAP. A MFCF application must be filled out for each child. You can access the application here and you can find more information about the camp here. Contact Jill with any questions at jillc@casappr.org.
 
How you can help spread the word about CASA 
 
As a CASA volunteer, you're obviously committed to the mission and probably love to tell others about what you do. Like any nonprofit, CASA is always looking for more volunteers and donors... and so the more who know about us, the better!

If you're on social media, you might know that the more engagement and interaction a post receives, the wider its reach will be. Basically what this means is that by liking, commenting on, and sharing our posts, you're helping our posts reach more people. So... if you want to "get social" with CASA, here are things you could do to help us reach a wider audience:

Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Instagram
Follow us on Twitter
Connect with us on LinkedIn
Like, comment on, and share our posts on any platform
Recommend CASA on NextDoor.com.
Colorado Springs community stocks Santa's Shop 
 

The community has really been coming together and we feel very grateful for everyone who has helped with Santa's Shop. Above you'll see Colorado College students with a donation from Kappa Alpha Thetas, Delta Gammas, and Black Women of CC; Girl Scouts Troop # 42821 who came to help sort the donations from Toys For Tots; Volunteers Jenn and Debbie sorting all the gift cards which were donated for our teens; and the 110th MP CO with a special donation to the Santa's Shop.
Farewell and Thank you to Crystal and Sam!  
 
Many of you might be aware that this month is the last one at CASA for two very special people: D&N Program Manager Crystal Erickson and D&N Case Supervisor Samantha Hanson. Crystal and Sam are both moving on to new adventures and while we're sad to see them go, we're excited for what the future holds for them!  
 
Thank you both for your service to CASA and best of luck to you! We're currently in the recruitment process for their replacements, and we will make those announcements in the coming weeks.