Garrard County CASA Angel Tree event provides gifts for 24 abused and neglected children

A crowd gathered at First Southern National Bank in Lancaster Wednesday morning to kick off the holiday season by lighting the CASA Angel Tree and providing gifts for abused and neglected children. 

This was the third year for the CASA Angel Tree program in Garrard County. The community provided gifts for 40 children over the first two years, and 24 more children were on this year’s tree. Children on the tree have open family court cases and are served by CASA volunteers, who visit them regularly and advocate for their best interests. 

"We are so excited to be here today to light the CASA angel tree and bring some much-needed joy and happiness to children who have suffered more in their few short years than many of us will in our entire lifetimes,” said Melynda Jamison, Executive Director of Garrard County’s CASA program. 

People chose children’s names from the tree and received their wish lists so they could go shopping for gifts for them. Participants will bring the gifts back to CASA’s Garrard County office inside Lancaster City Hall or First Southern, and CASA volunteers will then deliver them to the children’s caretakers in time to be wrapped for Christmas or any other holiday being celebrated in the home. 

First Southern Community President David Grigson said the bank was very excited to host the CASA Angel Tree again this year. “It means a lot to us,” he said. 

CASA Board Member Jonathan Shell, who is Kentucky’s Commissioner of Agriculture, also spoke, encouraging attendees to go beyond purchasing gifts for kids on the tree and sign up to become CASA volunteers. 

"You just have to show up for these kids,” he said of the CASA volunteer role. “If you are here and you have a heart for these kids, or you know somebody who does, we're always looking for volunteers." 

Jamison said Garrard County’s incredible support of its CASA program led to it being the fastest growing program for its population size in the state. But there are not currently enough CASA volunteers for all the children who could benefit from having one. 

"I’d like you ask yourself, ‘Do you have five hours a month to just show up to change a child's life, or even potentially save it?’" she said. 

The next regional in-person training class for new CASA volunteers begins Jan. 9, with classes on evenings and weekends in Lexington. A full schedule is available at www.casaoflexington.org/training. Online and in-person classes in Lancaster are also available; you can inquire about those trainings by emailing info@casaoflexington.org.  

For more information about the CASA Angel Tree program, visit www.casaoflexington.org/angeltree.