TERRE HAUTE —
Rides in a pony cart and jumps in a bounce house are among the family-themed activities planned in Fairbanks Park on Saturday for the third annual CASA Kids Family Bash on the Wabash.
The annual awareness event runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and features a silent auction, food, horse-drawn cart rides, pumpkin toss, bounce house, duck pond, fish bowl and live entertainment.
“We encourage people to bring their kids because there will be lots of children’s activities,” CASA volunteer Rachel Carl said. “And, we are hoping adults will sign up to volunteer with CASA. We are always short-handed.”
Court Appointed Special Advocates are trained volunteers who give a voice to Children In Need of Services, or CHINS, who have been removed from their homes because of neglect or abuse. Those children are often financially at risk as well as physically, mentally or sexually abused or emotionally or medically neglected. The advocates attend court hearings and make sure the child’s family is connected with appropriate services to build healthy family relationships.
Those attending the Family Bash can learn about becoming a CASA volunteer, and get information on the CASA Kids program, which accepts donations from organizations and individuals to provide assistance to children in the program.
For instance, some children may want to participate in sports activities, but have no way to pay for registration fees or a uniform. CASA Kids helps provide that opportunity for its child participants. Carl said that many CASA youth already participate in a local martial arts program.
In 2011, CASA served 320 children, and it is on track to assist as many or more children this year. Some children are on a waiting list to receive an advocate, so more volunteers are needed for the program.
Volunteers commit to keeping in contact with the child on a regular basis, and to attending court hearings on behalf of the child. Volunteers go through a background check, and an initial training program of 30 hours, as well as ongoing training each year they are active.
“CASA is something you can do mostly on your own time,” Carl said. “The only requirement is to contact the child a certain number of times and go with them to court appearances.”
For more information on CASA, attend Saturday’s bash in Fairbanks Park from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., or go online to www.VigoCountyCasa.com, or go to VigoCountyCasaKids on Facebook.
Reporter Lisa Trigg can be reached at 812-231-4254 or lisa.trigg@tribstar.com. Follow her on Twitter @TribStarLisa.
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CASA Kids Family Bash is Saturday
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