GREENFIELD — It was a night of celebration at Bradley Hall Events center on Oct. 17, when Friends of CASA hosted a recognition dinner for local Court Appointed Special Advocates.
Promoted as “an evening of acknowledgement and appreciation,” the event showered the CASA volunteers with gratitude while celebrating the program’s success.
The CASA enlists volunteers who serve as a child’s personal advocate in the family court system.
“They are eyes and ears of children in court,” said retired Hancock County judge Terry Snow, who founded the local CASA program seven years ago.
Since then, dozens of volunteers have been trained through the Hancock County CASA program to advocate for children who have been removed from their homes due to neglect or abuse.
Many of those volunteers, along with Snow and Hancock County judge Scott Sirk, were at Tuesday night’s appreciation dinner.
“This event is our way of thanking all those people who devote their personal time to changing the life of a child,” said Marciann McClarnon Miller, executive director of the Hancock County CASA program.
One such volunteer, Nancy Mann of Greenfield, said being a CASA has been life-changing.
“It has made me a better person. It totally has,” said Mann, who joined CASA in 2016.
“I think I’m more compassionate. I look at people differently, and I think I try to see inside them more than I did before,” she said.
While the time commitment to be a CASA is relatively minimal — possibly five to 10 hours a month spending one-on-one time with a child and showing up for them in court — Mann said the payback for both CASA and the child is immeasurable.
She’s been matched with the same young woman, now 19, since the girl was 12 years old.
Mann’s best memories are the times the young woman has invited her to life events, from doctor’s appointments to dance recitals.
“It’s not just a volunteer job anymore. We have a real connection, and I think as far as both of us are concerned, a lifelong relationship,” said Mann. “I will always be there for her, and she knows it.”
Mann said knowing that CASAs are there on a volunteer basis makes a world of difference to a child.
“Once my young lady found out I was a volunteer — that I wasn’t just there for her because it was my job — it changed everything. She couldn’t believe it. It changed the way she looked at me,” she recalled.
It’s stories like hers that were shared and celebrated at Tuesday night’s appreciation dinner, where all volunteers were celebrated and four individuals were presented awards.
Jessica Westfall was recognized as CASA Volunteer of the Year while Brock Cummings was named DCS Family Case Manager of the Year.
Snow and Craig Felty were both recognized for being founding board members.
McClarnon Miller credited Snow with bringing the much-needed CASA program to Hancock County and for helping to found the Friends of CASA nonprofit that supports it.
“He’s our GOAT. He’s our Greatest Of All Time,” she said.
Mann echoed that sentiment.
“He’s the one who brought the program to Hancock County. We wouldn’t be here today without him,” she said.
Mann credited Snow for seeing the value in having individuals serve as advocates for children in the courts, and for passing that wisdom on to fellow judges.
“The judges in this county treat us with such respect. They value our opinion and listen to us,” she said. “If you’re volunteering hours of your life you want to feel like it’s making a difference, so that makes it all worthwhile.”
McClarnon Miller said there was much to celebrate as this year draws to a close.
While the program has had children on a waiting list in the past, that’s not the case now, with 42 volunteers covering the current caseload.
“We’re starting to cover civic cases and probation hearings, plus people retire and move away, etc., so we always need more volunteers,” she said.
