CASA Joy Tree Event Provides Holiday Gifts for 31 Bourbon County Children
The 31 names on the CASA Joy Tree were gone in a matter of minutes Monday morning, even as many remained in the line of Bourbon County people wanting to brighten the holidays for abused and neglected children.
This was the ninth year for the Bourbon County program, which has a new name – CASA Joy Tree – this year. The program provides gifts for children in family court who might not otherwise have many – or any – gifts to open this December.
Bourbon County Judge-Executive Michael Williams spoke at the event, which was hosted by Dan Cummins Chevrolet Buick in Paris.
“We are proud of each and every CASA volunteer, not only here in Bourbon County, but throughout the region,” Williams said. “I can’t begin to thank the volunteers enough.”
Court-Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteers are matched with abused and neglected children. They visit with the children monthly and look for ways the court can improve their lives or find them safe, permanent homes.
CASA volunteers matched with Bourbon County children who need gifts this year provided the children’s wish lists for the tree. Now, the community members who selected the children from the tree will go shopping for gifts. Then, the CASA volunteers will bring the gifts to the children’s caretakers in time for the holidays.
“For so many of our kids, they don’t have those opportunities to have traditions and favorite holiday memories,” said Melynda Jamison, Executive Director of Bourbon County’s CASA program. “Through the CASA Joy Tree, you’re giving them those memories.”
Williams and Jamison said Bourbon County historically had a very high rate of child abuse and neglect – something that catalyzed many Bourbon County officials and residents to act and create a local CASA program nearly a decade ago.
Today, Bourbon County’s rate of child abuse and neglect is much lower than it was. Jamison said CASA has been a part of that improvement, thanks to the volunteers who do the work with the children and funders like Bourbon County, the City of Paris, and Dan Cummins, who make it possible to run the nonprofit organization.
“We can only have as many volunteers as we can pay staff to supervise,” Jamison said. “And for every child served, we are breaking generational cycles, so that these children can go on to raise their children in their homes.”
Williams said he is grateful for the transformational effects the CASA program has had in Bourbon County.
“There’s not a better use of funds in Bourbon County, without question. Because these children are our future,” he said. “All these kids are going to be part of our community from now on. We have an obligation to do everything we can to give them a chance to survive, a chance to live life, a chance to be all they can be.”
Even though all Bourbon County CASA children have been selected from the Joy Tree this year, you can still participate in the program by purchasing supplemental gifts from the Joy Tree wish list at www.casaoflexington.org/joytree. You can also sign up to purchase gifts for a CASA child in another county by emailing jbahr@casaoflexington.org or calling (859) 484-6548.
