VALDOSTA — Court Appointed Special Advocate has found a home in Valdosta-Lowndes County to serve children in Lowndes and Echols counties.
Program participants cut the ribbon earlier this week on the new CASA house, 1503 Madison Highway.
Lowndes County government officials and CASA of Lowndes and Echols Counties board members celebrated the implantation of the program, under the direction of Dr. Beverley Richardson-Blake, executive director.
For the past two years, Blake has traveled across Georgia to undergo leadership training to meet the requirements that satisfy the legality of the program in Lowndes and Echols counties.
“I am honored to be able to recruit volunteers from our community that are willing to give a voice to a child who need someone in their corner,” Blake said. “We are here to be mentors, supporters and advocates for children so they may grow to be productive members in our community.”
Lowndes County Commissioner Joyce Evans brought the idea of the CASA program to the Lowndes County Commission nearly five years ago.
Paige Dukes, county manager, said, “This has been a long time coming; a gap that we have filled in our community as volunteers and citizens push for the advocacy of our children.”
Dukes said Evans pushed the program knowing the needs of the community and the children who are served, as well as, the forward-thinking and support of Judge James Council, Lowndes County Juvenile Courts.
Lowndes County Commission Chairman Bill Slaughter, said, “We always thought about CASA but the issue was how do we get it together. Once we finally got the right people in the room to have discussions about it; it doesn’t matter the challenges, you can overcome those challenges.
“It’s all about serving the children; they need someone to really look after them.”
CASA is hosting a series of interest meetings to recruit volunteers and share information about the program.
CASA community volunteers are screened and trained regarding dependency, child development and juvenile court procedures.
For more information, email casaoflowndesechols@gmail.com or call (229) 247-4324.