CASA volunteer connects with Bourbon County kids to help give them a brighter future

CASA Volunteer Sherill Durham-Sanders

Sherill Durham-Sanders has eight children and 15 grandchildren. But the number of young people whose lives she has affected goes well beyond that. She is a former teacher, and she now serves as a CASA volunteer with CASA of Lexington.

As a CASA volunteer, she has changed the lives of six abused or neglected children over the course of close to three years.

“Any time you can make an impact in a young person’s life, I think it’s something worth doing,” she said.

Durham-Sanders currently advocates for children in Bourbon County family court. As a CASA volunteer, she visits her CASA children regularly, gathers information about their lives, and writes reports that give everyone a much better understanding of what the children need to thrive.

Her Volunteer Manager, Weida Allen, said Durham-Sanders’ passion for helping children is obvious.

“She has this great way to helping young kids to relax around her. I’ve seen how she can engage with kids from the very beginning,” Allen said. “She just engages with them and communicates with them so easily. I think she does a very good job.”

Allen said when she and Durham-Sanders went to visit her current CASA children recently, the youngest asked whether Durham-Sanders would come back to see them again.

“Do you want me to come back?” Durham-Sanders asked.

“Oh yes!” the child responded. “I want you to come back and we’ll talk about some more things.”

Because of all her good work, Allen nominated Durham-Sanders to be a CASA Volunteer of the Month in CASA of Lexington’s seven-county region. She is Bourbon County’s first Volunteer of the Month of 2025.

All of the children Durham-Sanders has advocated for have come from families affected by substance misuse, Allen said.

Durham-Sanders said CASA volunteering is important work because the children are not responsible for the situations they are in.

“It’s worth getting involved to have an impact that will give them a better outcome in their life,” she said. “The reward of helping young people is a plus. I would definitely tell people to try it out.”

To serve as a CASA volunteer, you must be at least 21 years old, pass background checks and complete a 30-hour training class, available in-person or online. For more information, visit www.casaoflexington.org.