Take the CASA Driving Challenge on September 7 at Pikes Peak International Raceway

Have you ever wanted to drive a race car?  Now’s your chance to experience the king of all adrenaline rushes and participate in the CASA Driving Challenge.  Experience the thrill of a lifetime with 5 driving events: Auto Cross, Lead and Follow, Simulator, Team Slalom, and Hot Laps.

Learn more and register to participate at www.casadrivingchallenge.com. 

–or–

Enter the drawing for a chance to win free participation in all 5 driving events ($499 value).  Make a donation of $25 for one ticket/chance or $60 for three tickets/chances. The drawing for 5 free registrations will be June 27.  Drawing tickets available at the CASA building, 701 S. Cascade Ave.

The CASA Driving Challenge is a Circle of Impact event in support of CASA of the Pikes Peak Region.

CALL-TO-ACTION
In the Pikes Peak region, CASA is reaching less than half of the children in need. That means hundreds of children in our community have no one advocating for their rights. The CASA program is committed to making sure that every child in need has access to a trusted, compassionate advocate.

In an effort to offer community members the opportunity to help in the fight child abuse, CASA is holding an informational event on May 23.

CASA 411 Night
May 23, 2013, 5:30pm
CASA Building, 701 S. Cascade Avenue

• Learn more about the role and commitment of a volunteer advocate and SEPT Facilitator
• Seasoned volunteers share their experiences and insights
• Learn about other CASA programs and the many other ways to get involved
• Q & A session with staff and volunteers
• Refreshments served

CONTACT: Please contact Kelly with questions or to RSVP: 719-447-9898 x1033 or kellyp@casappr.org

These brief videos feature CASA volunteers sharing their insights and experiences:

Through the Life Long Links Program, CASA volunteers are searching nationwide to locate and connect extended family and other supportive people to children in the foster care system. The idea is to build a network of stable, caring connections and to ensure safe and permanent homes for kids more expediently.

CASA’s Jill McCormick was recently interviewed about the program:

CASA has a great opportunity for you to recycle and re-purpose those items while supporting our work!  As a CASA Circle of Impact Business Partner, Little London Market and Auction House 109 can sell those items for you with 70% of the proceeds from the sale going to benefit CASA and the important work that we do representing the interests of victims of child abuse, neglect and severe domestic violence. Since starting the program in late 2012, and with great support from CASA Circle of Impact Partners, CASA has already received nearly $4,000.00, from this partnership with Little London Market and Auction House 109.

It’s easy to donate – call Little London Market/Auction House 109 at 719-632-5588. You can drop off your items most any time (9-5 M-F; 9-4 Sat.) or schedule a time for a pick up. If you need help packing items for donation, let Little London Market and Auction House 109 do the work for you! As a CASA Circle of Impact Business Partner, Little London Market and Auction House 109 will make donating simple and easy – they’ll do the work for you and once the item is sold CASA will send you a donation receipt for your tax records.

To donate, contact Mary Beth Cipoletti by phone 719-632-2646 or by email mb@littlelondonmarket.com or mb@auctioinhouse109.com.

We are grateful to the Colorado Springs Christian Schools A.C.T.S. (A Call To Service) Group who awarded CASA with a grant this week. A.C.T.S is a youth philanthropic program designed to help students make an impact on their community through grant making in the non-profit sector. The program focuses on service, leadership, philanthropy, fundraising and showing love for others through action.

Students created a mission statement for the program, created a grant application, reviewed applications submitted by local non-profits, made site visits and interviewed the organizations in which they were interested in making the grants to. In addition, the group created a fundraising plan and raised the money to be granted.

CASA is proud to have been selected as an A.C.T.S. award recipient and we congratulate the kids on their deliberate and thoughtful fundraising and grant making initiatives. These students truly make a difference in our community

When the children came into the child welfare system and were placed in a foster home with Ken and Lisa Hanselman, Kristofer weighed 32 pounds at age 6, and Olivia, age 5, was 27 pounds. Olivia was so scared she visibly trembled.

Over time, and as the children began to feel safe, they divulged details about their lives with their adoptive parents. Oliva described the “nasty room” where she and her brother were locked for long periods of time, and a plastic sheet on the floor where they urinated. Other than the plastic sheet the room was completely empty. The window was left open in freezing weather and the kids were fed onions through a crack in the door.

As the details of the children’s ordeal came to light, Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer Judy Thompson was assigned to advocate for the children while they were in placement with the Hanselman family and throughout the court process.

Judy was a consistent presence for the children throughout the duration of the case. She researched every detail of the kids’ history, gathered information from the original adoption agency, she interviewed the children’s parents, observed visits between the parents and the children, and reported findings back to the court. It was Judy that intervened and recommended to the court to stop parental visits, and the court agreed. It was Judy that intervened when the parents wanted to take the children to Ireland to live with family members they had never met.

Judy also worked closely with the foster family, making sure the kids were in good care and that they were getting the therapy and services they needed to heal. Kristofer and Oliva were doing so well with the Hanselman family that Judy supported their wish to adopt the children. She let the judge know that she strongly opposed the children ever being returned to their abusive parents. After two years in court, and with Judy’s support, the children were adopted by the Hanselmans and they are now enjoying the safe embrace of a permanent, loving family.

Judy is one of nearly 250 Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteers in El Paso and Teller counties who work diligently to ensure the safety and well-being of children. CASA volunteers represent the best interests of victims of child abuse, neglect, and severe domestic conflict. CASA volunteers are appointed by judges to be a voice for these children in court and in the community. The desired result is that children be placed in safe, loving homes where they can thrive. For many abused children their CASA volunteer is the only reliable adult presence in their lives.

Kristofer and Olivia’s story was featured at CASA of the Pikes Peak Region’s 13th Annual Light of Hope Fundraiser co-presented by El Pomar Foundation and Motif on April 25th at the Antlers Hilton Hotel.  Over 1400 guests attended the event which raised more than $330,000 in support of the CASA cause.

To generate awareness and support in the fight against child abuse during Child Abuse Prevention Month, CASA of the Pikes Peak Region is hosted the 13th Annual Light of Hope Fundraiser co-presented by El Pomar Foundation and Motif on Thursday, April 25, 2013 at the Antlers Hilton Hotel.

Over 1400 guests attended this year’s event which raised more than $330,000 in support of the CASA cause.

CASA volunteers are an amazing force for good, and we need more. Currently hundreds of kids in our community have no one advocating for their rights. Support from the Light of Hope fundraiser will help us get closer to our goal of ensuring that every child in need has access to a trusted, compassionate advocate.

Court Appointed Special Advocate, Judy Thompson helped ensure a safe, loving home for siblings Kristofer and Oliva. Learn more about their story here.

Photos from the breakfast event donated by Aetherial Photography>>

See more breakfast photos 

Photos from the luncheon donated by Everything719.com >>

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Light of Hope 2013 is made possible by these generous supporters:

Co-Presenting Sponsors: El Pomar Foundation and Motif

Gold Sponsor: 
The Yellow Umbrella Fund

Silver Sponsors: 
Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mine
Ent Federal Credit Union
Kiwanis Rocky Mountain Division #4 Clubs
Penrose – St. Francis Health Services

Bronze Sponsors:
Colorado Springs Utilities
Classic Homes
Crystal Clear Solutions
First Bank Holding Co.
Holland & Hart
Integrity Bank
JP Morgan Chase Bank
Johnson & Cord
Kirkpatrick Bank
MAX
NexCore
Peak View Behavioral Health
The Wigand, Lindsey, Harris Group at Merrill Lynch
US Bank
United States Olympic Committee
Waugh & Goodwin, LLP
Wells Fargo Insurance Services

Light of Hope Committee:  
*Committee Co-Chairs
Claire Boynton
Marsha Fogarty
Jamie Gessner
Stephanie Hanenberg
Lauren Hug
Jacki Kintz*
Debbie LaRoss
Pamela Paige
Debbie Reardon
DeeAnn Rothstein*
Jerri Roush
Lisa Simms
Mary Stark

Table Captains:
Teresa Abell
Becky Akers
Craig Anderson
Terri Anderson
Corinne Andrews
Andrea Baldrica
Sunni Ball
Marilyn Bardash
Lorna Bennett
Mike Berniger
Wayne Bland
Martha Booth
Brooke Bower
Claire Boynton
Sarah Brittain Jack
Kris Burich
Janie Byrnes
Liz Cobb
Crystal Collette
Gwen Collins
Kelly Conner Young
Erin Contreras
Mary Frances Cowan
Becky Culver
Sheryl Decker
Melanie DeHerrera
Donna Dell’Olio
Melissa DeSutter
Karen Domme
Glenn Driscoll
Lee Faith
Michelle Farrell
Carrie Fini
Marsha Fogarty
Joe & Cindy Foreman
Wanda Foster
Monica Gallegos
Loren George
Jamie Gessner
Jessica Giles Copeland
Lois Gracz
Barbara Graff
Pat Gray
Jody Green
Stephanie Hanenberg
Cheryl Harding
Ben Harvey
Jane Hegstrom
Pat Hill
Dennis Hodges
Rochele Hovasse
Lauren Hug
Angie Hunsinger
Dawn Ignatius
William Johannsen
Tracey Johnson
Stephanie Kasanicky
Heather Kelly
Jacqueline Kintz
Monica Kjosen
Joi Kush
Julie Kuss
Debra LaRoss
Amy Lathen
Cheryl Lewis
Rod & Jill Lusey
Traci Macdonald
Mary Lou Makepeace
Audra Mater Pratz
Jill McCormick
Rob & Ann McDonald
Colleen Meier
Patrick Mika
Gaynelle Mize
Marion & Jim Moore
Sherri Newell Wilkinson
Gerry Olvey
Pamela Paige
Bruce Panter
Stephanie Parker
Kenton & Ricky Pass
Laura Pelletier
Edith Perez
Betta Phelps
Denise Pitch
T. Martina Porter
Ellen Powers
Debbie Reardon
Maggie Reilly
Janet Renander
Gina Reynolds
Kathleen Ricker
Angela Rose
Sally Rothstein
DeeAnn Rothstein
Jerri Roush
Dennise Rullo
Aje Sakamoto
Rose Salcetti
Tyra Sandoval
Glenn Scott
William Shaner
Melanie Sharpe
Kimberley Sherwood
Lori Shumate
Lisa Simms
Gary Simms
Susan Skinner
Kelly Sparks
Mary Stark
Shirley Stewart
Trudy Strewler Hodges
Michele Strub-Heer
Amy Sufak
Sharon Sutherland
Janet Suthers
Jennifer Taylor
Ann Thomas
Mary Thorne
Carol Toren
Anna & Dave Traenkle
Lacy Utterbach
Amanda Vinton
Mary Volcheff
John Wallace
Greg Welch
Nancy Wenzlau
Katie Willemarck
Robert Wrubel

For more information on ways to get involved, please contact Karri Baker at 447-9898, ext. 1006.

They helped 3 children into safe, loving homes in their first case, and now are joining forces again for their second CASA case.

Teaming up allows Joe and Sheila to spend time together doing something meaningful. They say they also like the team approach because:

1) it allows them to talk through the details a a case with each other without breaching rules of confidentiality.

2) since each person process things differently, they look to each other to bring a new perspective on a situation, which they say is helpful when working toward solutions.

3) they can support each other emotionally through the duration of the case.

Joe and Sheila talked about their experiences as CASA volunteers on KKTV to help kick of National Child Abuse Prevention Month:

CASA is fortunate to have several husband-wife and mother-daughter teams that are working together to ensure safe, permanent homes for children.

To learn more about volunteering the CASA as a team, or as an individual, please give Kelly Peterschmidt a call, 447-9898 x1033.

In recognition of April’s Child Abuse Prevention Month, CASA is working to bring awareness to this critical issue. Every citizen has a stake in the well-being of our children. During the month of April and beyond our hope here at CASA is that our citizens will stand up against abuse by volunteering or donating.

Other Ways to Get Involved

• Support families in crisis: As a community we can all help prevent child abuse by offering support to families in crisis.  Something as simple as offering to babysit your neighbor’s children may help — anything that will give a stressed parent a break.

• Look for warning signs of abuse: The earlier child abuse is caught, the better the chance of recovery and appropriate treatment for the child. Child abuse is not always obvious. By learning some of the common warning signs of child abuse and neglect, you can catch the problem as early as possible and get both the child and the abuser the help that they need. A common myth is that an act against the child has to be violent to be considered abuse.  Emotional abuse can severely damage a child’s mental health or social development, leaving lifelong psychological scars.

• Report Abuse: Many people are reluctant to get involved in other families’ lives, but we all can and should report suspected child abuse or neglect. If you think a child is being mistreated, take immediate action. Report child abuse or neglect in El Paso County by calling the 24-hour hotline: 444-5700; In Teller County call: 686-5550.

• Be the One Colorado: Each year, over 61,000 babies are born in Colorado. Join us in making the pledge to help each of those children grow and develop into happy and healthy adults.

Important Local Resources for Parents

KPC Kids’ Place Respite Nursery
KPC Kids’ Place offers free crisis and planned respite childcare for young children ages 0-6.  The highly qualified staff members provide a safe and nurturing atmosphere for children at risk of abuse or neglect while offering parents in stressful situations a much-needed respite opportunity.  Caregivers who love their children enough to ask for help can get up to 72 hours of relief during difficult times.  Family advocacy and community referrals are offered to all caregivers who use KPC Kids’ Place. The crisis line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (719) 634-5439. 

Nurturing Parenting Program  
Provides parents with effective behavior management tools and encourage the development of healthy parent-child relationships.  These family-centered classes are designed to strengthen families through education in empathy and caring, responsibility and discipline, and family growth.  The Nurturing Parenting Programs are dynamic and exciting, and are proven to build caring, non-violent families.  One of the exciting aspects of the Nurturing Parenting Program classes is that the children are learning their own skills while parents focus on parenting styles.  Families then come together to practice what they have learned.

Center on Fathering
The Center provides a program which teaches dads to be more actively and positively involved in their child’s development.  They also have a program called Conflict-Resolution for Dads which gives dads a unique, father-oriented way to deal with conflict in their lives.

Video: Shaken Baby Syndrome Prevention
As part of Memorial Hospital for Children’s shaken baby syndrome prevention program, this Crying Baby Plan video is shown to every mother who has a baby at Memorial Health System, Colorado Springs, CO.

Video: Parenting is Hard, Help Is Available
This video explains the resources available to parents in El Paso County and how the community as a whole can reach out to parents. It was produced by the El Paso County Department of Human Services through the Not One More Child Coalition. Closed captioning and the packaging of DVD copies of this video were paid for by Colorado Springs Utilities.

Tipsheets for Parents and Caregivers

Six Protective Factors:
Protective factors are conditions in families and communities that, when present, increase the health and well-being of children and families. They are attributes that serve as buffers, helping parents who might otherwise be at risk of abusing their children to find resources, supports, or coping strategies that allow them to parent effectively, even under stress. Research has shown that these protective factors are linked to a lower incidence of child abuse and neglect.

Warning Signs of Child Abuse and Neglect

Warning Signs of Emotional Abuse:

• Excessively withdrawn, fearful, or anxious about doing something wrong.
• Shows extremes in behavior (extremely compliant or extremely demanding; extremely passive or extremely aggressive).
• Doesn’t seem to be attached to the parent or caregiver.
• Acts either inappropriately adult (taking care of other children) or inappropriately infantile (rocking, thumb-sucking, tantruming).

Warning signs of physical abuse:

• Frequent injuries or unexplained bruises, welts, or cuts.
• Is always watchful and “on alert,” as if waiting for something bad to happen.
• Injuries appear to have a pattern such as marks from a hand or belt.
• Shies away from touch, flinches at sudden movements, or seems afraid to go home.
• Wears inappropriate clothing to cover up injuries, such as long-sleeved shirts on hot days.

Warning signs of neglect:

• Clothes are ill-fitting, filthy, or inappropriate for the weather.
• Hygiene is consistently bad (unbathed, matted and unwashed hair, noticeable body odor).
• Untreated illnesses and physical injuries.
• Is frequently unsupervised or left alone or allowed to play in unsafe situations and environments.
• Is frequently late or missing from school.

Warning signs of sexual abuse:

• Trouble walking or sitting.
• Displays knowledge or interest in sexual acts inappropriate to his or her age, or even seductive behavior.
• Makes strong efforts to avoid a specific person, without an obvious reason.
• Doesn’t want to change clothes in front of others or participate in physical activities.
• An STD or pregnancy, especially under the age of 14.
• Runs away from home.

• Recognition in our newsletter, which reaches over 3,000 households.
• 120 minutes of unparalleled advertising time with 1,300+ affluent people.
• A one-on-one connection between your company and a captive audience.
• Recognition in Light of Hope print materials
• And, the knowledge that you are making a difference in the fight against child abuse, neglect and domestic conflict in our community by supporting a truly worthy cause.

Marketing/PR Exposure:
Annual Report – 3,000+ households
Banner Display – 1,700+
CASA Newsletter – 3,000+
CASA Website – 1,288+/month
Corporate Reception – 100+
Event Invitation – 3,000+
Event Program – 1,700+
Event Slideshow – 1,700+
Facebook – 1,200+
Facebook e-banner – 1,200+
Gazette Ad – 96,127/day
Podium recognition – 1,700+
Table Tents – 1,700+
Twitter – 1000+ Followers

2013 Sponsorship Opportunities

• Platinum $7,500 – $9,999 everything below, plus banner displayed at event, company recognized from podium at event, and e-banner displayed on CASA’s Facebook page for two months.
• Gold $5,000 – $7,499 everything below, plus company logo on all table tents, and name on CASA’s social media outlets (i.e. Facebook and Twitter).
• Silver $2,500 – $4,999 everything below, plus company name featured in loop slide show at event and name in press release.
• Bronze $1,000 – $2,499 includes below, plus company name on CASA’s website and in one Advocate newsletter.
• Copper $500 – $999 includes company name in event program, annual report, and invitation to the annual Appreciation Celebration.

Contact: Karri Baker 719-447-9898 x1006