Published: August 02, 2008 01:55 am            

New CASA volunteers sworn in by Bentley

Our Town column

PALESTINE — CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Trinity Valley recently trained a group of volunteers from Tennessee Colony Baptist Church.

The new advocates, all of whom were recruited during the group’s CASA 5K event in April, were sworn in as “officers of the court” by 369th State District Judge Bascom Bentley III during a ceremony held July 25.

CASA volunteers are all willing people who are screened, trained and then appointed by judges to advocate for abused and neglected children.

The volunteer’s focus is on one child or a set of siblings, giving each child help and hope as they move through the foster care system toward a safe, permanent home.

According to CASA of Trinity Valley executive director Lee Ann Millender, there are currently 74 children in state custody in Anderson County and CASA is only able to provide volunteers for 50 percent of them.

“To increase the number of these children being served, new volunteers are needed who are willing to step forward and accept the challenge,” Millender said. “It takes a special commitment but the rewards are extraordinary.”

To find out more, go to www.casaoftv.org or www.becomeacasa.org. or call CASA of Trinity Valley at 903-675-7070.



Berryhill Family Reunion planned

The Berryhill family reunion will be held Aug. 10 at the Larue Civic Center in Larue. Activities will begin around 10 a.m. followed by a covered dish luncheon around noon.

For more information call Thelma Gonzales at 903-764-1315.

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Mary Rainwater may be contacted via e-mail at mrainwater@palestineherald.com

        

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