Cass County CASA Hosts CASA Country Cookout at
Edward Lowe Foundation's Big Rock Valley
On Saturday, July 16th Cass County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates for children) will be hosting its fifth annual auction, CASA Country Cookout. Last year over 200 individuals, business owners, and community leaders supported CASAblanca 2010 at Southwestern Michigan College. This enabled Cass County CASA to advocate for abused and neglected children in foster care. Your support enables us to continuously recruit and train new CASA 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 foster care children a powerful voice.
Over 100 wonderful items have been donated by individuals and local businesses including:
- Chicago Talbot Hotel package including dinner and City Passes
- Notre Dame Football tickets
- Fishing Trip on the St. Joe River
- Fruitful Vine Winery tour for 6
- Grand Hotel package – Mackinac Island
- Cubs and White Sox tickets
- Grand Traverse Resort get-away with golf
- Instant Wine Cellar, 2 assorted cases + wine cooler
- Carriage House Restaurant
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, silent and live auctions, a buffet dinner and cash bar. Tickets are $40 per person 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.
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.