Seventeen new CASA Volunteers sworn in over Zoom on Friday

June 19, 2020 (Colorado Springs, Colo.) – Seventeen new Court Appointed Special Advocates were sworn in as officers of the court by Fourth Judicial District Judge Jill Brady during a CASA of the Pikes Peak Region swearing-in ceremony over Zoom on Friday.

The swearing-in ceremony was the final step for these community members to become Court Appointed Special Advocates. The new advocates took the oath before the judge following their completion of a two-week online training course which covered topics like trauma, resiliency, poverty, mental health, substance abuse, domestic violence, and the role of the CASA volunteer.

These volunteers are now ready to advocate for abused and neglected children in the Pikes Peak Region during their time in the child welfare system. Each volunteer will be assigned to an open Dependency & Neglect case so that they may speak up for and advocate for the child or children on that case.

“Sadly, with COVID, we have more kids coming into the system and these kids need you,” CASA Executive Director Angela Rose told the new advocates during the ceremony. “Things are more difficult for all of us because of the pandemic and you have still set time aside to advocate for these kids. Thank you for being here.”

Congratulations new advocates Carol Barnett, Edward Campbell, Mary Clavenna, Jenny Divitto, Vanessa Dotison, Timothy Fowler, Jennifer Gage, Aaron Gage, Pamela Gurfein, Ralph Hirtle, Kandy McNeal, Angela Meyer, Tonie Miller, Nancy Noman, Linda Sagatume, Ligia Salinas, and Pierre Silvestre.

CASA continues to work on behalf of the most vulnerable children in our community, work that has become even more important during the global health crisis. While advocates are not currently required to engage in in-person meetings with the children on their cases, many of them are staying in touch with families via phone calls, facetime, and skype while working remotely to complete court reports.

Community members who are interested in serving vulnerable children in this capacity are encouraged to visit www.casappr.org, submit a volunteer application, and complete a CASA training course which is currently being offered online.