Watching CSI

Now that the Minature Killer storyline has wrapped, you can own a replica of Gil Grissom’s office created for the storyline. An Ebay auction is currently running and you could be the lucky fan to win the prize. The auction ends October 7th and proceeds will go to the National CASA Association.

451 Press actually have a CASA board member in our ranks. Margie, who runs that fabulous Battlestar Galatica blog, was kind enough to answer some questions about the organization.

KD: Can you tell us a little about CASA and what CASA does?
Margie:CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates, and it is a national organization that works with abused and neglected children in foster care. Everybody knows that social workers and other people who work with abused children are over worked and underpaid, and there is simply more work and more abuse than our system can candle. CASA takes people who want to help and gives them extensive training, and then they are appointed by juvenile judges to specific children’s cases so they can investigate the situation, work with the children to get them the services they need, and help everyone involved determine what really is in the best interests of the child.

KD: What are some of your duties as a board member?
Margie: As a board member I work to help maximize the assets and energies of the CASA organization in my area of the country. That means I work on short and long term financial planning issues, provide support for the staff’s volunteer recruitment and fundraising efforts, and anything else I can to help serve more kids through CASA. It is an amazing organization, and both statistically and individually it makes a big difference in the lives of these kids. The stories of these volunteers are inspiring, it is a privilege to do what I can to help get the volunteers and the children the support they need to recover from these horrific situations and hopefully get their young lives back on track.

A recent audit shows that:

• 95% of children do not languish in long-term foster care.
• 90% of children do not reenter the child welfare system.

What a wonderful cause. Hurry and bid. You’ve got less than a week.

Note: It’s important to remember that CASA volunteers don’t actually decide placement.

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