Cass County CASA Hosts Country Cookout at
Edward Lowe Foundation's Big Rock Valley
Saturday, July 28, 2012
On Saturday, July 28th Cass County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates for children) will be hosting its sixth annual auction, CASA Country Cookout. Last year over 200 individuals, business owners, and community leaders supported CASA 2011 at Big Rock Valley in Cass County. Your support enables us to continuously recruit and train new CASA volunteer advocates and to provide on-going training and education for all our volunteers. The goal of this year's auction at the Edward Lowe Foundation's Big Rock Valley in Cassopolis is to significantly increase the number of CASA advocates to give abused and neglected children in foster care a powerful voice.
Over 100 fabulous items have been donated by individuals and local businesses including:
- Kitchen basket including KitchenAid mixer and other small appliances
- Grand Hotel package on Mackinac Island • Complete entertainment center including flat screen TV and DVD
- American Girl basket
- Classic movie basket with portable DVD
- Diamond Lake weekend at a lakefront cottage
- Chicago Get-Away weekend
- Football & Baseball tickets There are many more sporting events, products, restaurants, and services and truly something for every interest and budget.
The festivities at Big Rock Valley begin at 5 PM featuring the Black River Band, something new called Bucket Games featuring bundled items, our always lively and entertaining live auction, a buffet dinner and cash bar. Tickets are $50 per person ($60 after June 30) and can be purchased from CASA Board Members or at the CASA office in Cassopolis. Tables of 8 are also available. An optional “Friends of CASA Reception” hosted by the Honorable Susan L. Dobrich begins at 4:30. Tickets for the reception are $75 and include the cookout. Checks, credit cards, and cash accepted.
Cass County CASA is a not-for-profit agency of trained volunteers from the community who are appointed by the judge to advocate for abused and neglected children in Cass County. You can help these children by attending our auction, thereby making a donation to the CASA program. All contributions are tax deductible. For more information on tickets for this event, contact Erica Boulanger, Program Coordinator, or Jim Ward, Director at 269 445-4431 or casscocasa2@yahoo.com.
CASA is...
an acronym for Court Appointed Special Advocate.
A CASA Volunteer is appointed by the Family Court Judge to provide factual, independent and objective information regarding the status of children involved in child protective proceedings. The CASA Volunteer complements the duties of other professionals involved in neglect and abuse cases. Other professionals include, but are not limited to, the Court, protective service workers, foster care workers, prosecuting attorneys, the lawyer-guardian ad litem, attorneys for the respondent parents, and therapists and counselors.
Cass County CASA...
was founded in 1995, by Judge Susan Dobrich. The first volunteers were trained in 1997. Today there are 125+ children in foster care in Cass County where 18 volunteers advocate for approximately 30 of these children. Additional volunteers can make a difference.
Our Mission
The Cass County CASA program will provide court appointed special advocates who will appear in court and act as a "voice" for abused and neglected children in child protective proceedings in Cass County.