67 CASA of Lexington Volunteers Earn Presidential Volunteer Service Awards
Lexington, Ky. (Feb. 22, 2023) – More than five dozen CASA volunteers in central Kentucky have earned the President’s Volunteer Service Award for their volunteer work in 2022.
The PVSA program recognizes the nation’s most outstanding volunteers for contributing large amounts of time to worthy causes. Every PVSA recipient will get a pin, coin or medal, along with a personal thank-you letter signed by the U.S. president.
CASA volunteers qualified for a bronze PVSA award if they volunteered for at least 100 hours in 2022. Many volunteered far more than that and earned higher-level silver and gold PVSA awards.
In all, 67 CASA of Lexington volunteers earned a PVSA award, with 14 of those earning a silver-level award and three earning a gold-level award by exceeding 500 hours of volunteer service. This represents an increase over 2021 in total awards and the numbers of volunteers reaching the silver and gold levels.
“We are thrilled to have our most ever volunteers qualify for PVSA awards, including three gold-tier volunteers. Our previous record was two at the gold tier,” said Melynda Jamison, Executive Director of CASA of Lexington. “Our CASA volunteers give their time to make a real difference for abused and neglected children in central Kentucky. They do not do it for recognition, but we love recognizing and appreciating them anyway!”
CASA volunteers Brittney Thomas, Judy Kendall and Debra Gabbard were the three gold-tier volunteers. Between them, they contributed more than 2,800 hours to their work as advocates for abused and neglected children.
CASA of Lexington’s 14 silver-tier volunteers are Cynthia Phillips, Beth Monarch, Misty Green, Janet Colbert, Michael Hale, April Jilbert, Kimberly Skidmore, Betsy Paulding, Meredith Feiertag, Carrie Gordy, Gretchen LaGodna, Patty Overing, Connie Handman and Heather Padilla.
Michael Hale is the first male CASA of Lexington volunteer to receive a silver-tier PVSA.
“I saw a need and I wanted to help,” Hale said. “It has been one of the most rewarding and challenging endeavors I have ever undertaken.”
“Many think serving as a CASA volunteer is mainly for women, but around half of the children we serve are boys. And boys benefit from having strong, positive male role models in their lives,” Jamison said. “Michael is proof men can get involved and make real change, too.”
In another first, Mia Morales is CASA of Lexington’s first nonbinary CASA volunteer to earn the PVSA. They are one of 50 CASA volunteers who earned the bronze-tier award.
In 2022, CASA of Lexington had a total of 290 volunteers, who invested more than 18,000 hours advocating for the best interests of 671 children involved in family court cases. Their work includes visiting children monthly, speaking with adults involved the children’s lives and providing reports to the judges.
Children who receive a CASA volunteer are less likely to change placements while they are in care, more likely to do well in school and receive services like therapy and far less likely to re-enter the foster care system after their cases close.
“The average CASA volunteer invests 5 to 10 hours a month advocating for their assigned child,” Jamison said. “That investment is returned many times over after a CASA helps improve the outcome of their case and changes the course of their entire life.”
The PVSA was created in 2003 to “recognize the important role of volunteers in America’s strength and national identity,” according to the PVSA. The award “honors individuals whose service positively impacts communities in every corner of the nation and inspires those around them to take action, too.”
Volunteers receive a bronze award for contributing 100 hours. They receive a silver award for contributing 250 hours, or 175 hours if they are under the age of 26. And they receive a gold award for contributing 500 hours, or 250 hours if they are under the age of 26.
Since CASA of Lexington became certified to give the award in 2020, its volunteers have earned 187 PVSAs, including six total gold-tier awards.
In March, PVSA recipients will be honored in the counties where they serve or live with special ceremonies including local officials:
Fayette County recipients will be honored at a Lexington council meeting at 6 p.m. on March 9 (second floor, 200 E. Main St., Lexington)
Jessamine County recipients will be honored at the Jessamine County Courthouse at 4 p.m. on March 13 (107 N. Main St., Nicholasville)
Garrard County recipients will be honored at the Garrard County Judicial Center at 12 p.m. on March 20. (54 Stanford St., Lancaster)
Scott County recipients will be honored at the Scott County Justice Center at 11 a.m. on March 22 (119 N. Hamilton St., Georgetown)
Bourbon County recipients will be honored at the Paris Municipal Center at 4:30 p.m. on March 28 (525 High St., Paris)
Woodford County recipients will be honored at the Versailles Police Department at 12 p.m. on March 29 (239 N. Main St., Versailles)