CASA of Lexington added 14 new volunteers at a heartwarming graduation and swearing-in ceremony this month.
The newest 14 have joined 60 others who have completed training and joined the CASA of Lexington community this year. Over the next 12 months, the newest volunteers could help as many as 35 central Kentucky children who have suffered abuse or neglect.
“On behalf of all the judges in this region, I want to thank you for taking your time to do this,” said Traci Brislin, the Chief Family Court Judge in Fayette County, who swore in the new volunteers.
Brislin told the volunteers the family court system is “busting at the seams” with cases, which makes it difficult for social workers, attorneys or judges to give individual children much time.
“That’s why CASA is so great – it’s designed to where each of you is only going to have one family, maybe two, at a time. And that’s it,” Brislin said. “So every bit of time that you are donating, you are going to be able to make a meaningful difference in these kids lives.”
CASA stands for Court-Appointed Special Advocates. Volunteers are appointed by judges like Brislin to cases in family court where children have been abused or neglected. Each CASA volunteer visits their matched children, gathers information about their life, and makes recommendations focused exclusively on what would be best for the children.
CASA volunteers’ reports always have more details than the other reports that judges get, Brislin said, which humanizes the children and lets the court be more effective at helping them.
“You guys are the ones that bring to our attention all the little details that can make their lives just a little bit easier during these really difficult times,” she said.
The newly sworn CASA volunteers are Daniel Abbott, Delisa Boone, Emily Bradford, Melissa Compton, Jenna Evans, Andrea Hall, Barbara Hughes, Jason Kearl, Beth Lee, Olga Lutchenko, Maria Quick, Cameron Reedy, Susan Slade and Marta Volosiuk.
CASA of Lexington Executive Director Melynda Jamison said there’s always more demand for CASA volunteers than there are CASA volunteers available, so every time a new class completes their training, it’s good news.
“I love when I get to send the judges an email that says, ‘We just had a class graduate and we have 14 volunteers available for all seven of our counties – please send us more cases,’” she said. “Because in all of our court systems, the judges are waiting for more volunteers. It’s not a matter of cases aren’t there; it’s a matter of, ‘Do we have volunteers available?’”
The 74 new volunteers added so far in 2026 have joined more than 200 others who are advocating for kids in Bourbon, Fayette, Garrard, Jessamine, Lincoln, Scott and Woodford counties. Each volunteer gives about 5 to 10 hours a month.
“We have an incredible group of people from all different backgrounds with a common goal – helping our most vulnerable children,” Jamison said. “I’m reminded of that every time we have a graduation, an ongoing training, a social dinner, or a volunteer appreciation event. The way our community embraces its shared mission is truly inspiring.”
To learn more about CASA volunteering, visit www.casaoflexington.org.
