Eight New CASA Volunteers Ready to Advocate for Abused and Neglected Children
New CASA Volunteers are sworn in by Family Court Judge Tiffany Yahr.
CASA of Lexington is welcoming eight new volunteers following its summer training class. These eight people will soon be matched with abused or neglected children in the family court system and begin advocating for those children’s best interests.
The graduates of the 2024 summer training class are Pat Bennett, Pat Dugger, Denise Henderson, Luke Murray, Jamacia Neal, John Overing, Katie Strayer and Jay Sudkamp.
“We are so excited to have you as part of the team!” said CASA Executive Director Melynda Jamison at a swearing in ceremony for the class. “We are out of volunteers in Fayette County, so the need is great. We need volunteers in every county but we’ve had to tell the judges here in Fayette, ‘No more cases until we get more volunteers sworn in.’”
Last year, 297 individuals served as CASA volunteers through CASA of Lexington, providing hope and advocacy for 681 abused and neglected children. So far in 2024, another 30 people have completed training. Those 30 may improve the future for as many as 75 children during their first year as CASA volunteers.
Family Court Judge Tiffany Yahr swore in some of the new volunteers. She told them that as they begin visiting their CASA children and getting to know them, they will learn about some heartbreaking situations.
“But at the same time, you’re going to see some really great things,” she said. “You’re going to see some families get a lot of healing and some kiddos that get good placements.”
Yahr said she regularly sees CASA volunteers improve the outcomes for children.
“A lot of times, I get advocates that tell me things the social workers didn’t know, or give me a completely different perspective on a kiddo,” she said. “That information is so valuable. The more that I know, the more I can make informed decisions.”
CASA of Lexington is enrolling new volunteers for its fall training class now. That class begins on Sept. 3, with classes on evenings and weekends in September and October. You can view the training schedule here, learn more about CASA volunteers here or apply to become a CASA volunteer here.
