Page 26 - June 2021 Issue.indd

but also form relationships with them that last for years. Th ey
Caroline CASA take the time to get to know the child at the heart of each case.

They also work in partnership with legal and child welfare
Court Appointed professionals, educators and service providers to ensure the
Special Advocate child has what is needed to heal and thrive. A child in foster
care may have faced physical, psychological and/or emotional
Most nonprofit organizations will agree that volunteers
are an integral part of the important work they do in the
community and every organization will tell you they have
the best volunteers. But at CASA of Caroline, our incredible
volunteers truly are the backbone of our organization. We
could not provide voices in court to children in foster care
without them.
On May 3, we proudly welcomed two new volunteers who’ve
made the commitment to advocate on a child’s behalf. In
a still closed courtroom, The Honorable Jonathan Newell
administered the CASA oath to Ashley Cox of Denton and
Stacy Frank of Ridgely. Prior to the official swearing in,
Judge Newell noted the important role of a CASA volunteer,
saying “the presence of a steady CASA volunteer provides
something that we otherwise can’t guarantee in our system”.
He acknowledged “it’s a very fulfi lling job, although I’m sure
at times frustrating and even heartbreaking, but it is very
much appreciated”. We are grateful for the commitment Ashley
and Stacy have made on behalf of children and youth in the
Caroline County foster care system and welcome them as our
county’s newest Court-Appointed Special Advocates!
With the addition of these two women, CASA of Caroline now
has 12 trained and active volunteers. During the pandemic,

Pictured left to right; , Stacy Frank and Ashley Cox
we had 10 active volunteers who, in spite of court shut downs,
social distancing and CDC guidelines, were able to volunteer
over 330 hours and drive over 2,500 miles to serve and
protect the best interests of children and youth in Caroline
County foster care. In honor of our volunteers’ hard work
and dedication throughout the pandemic, CASA of Caroline’s
Board of Directors and staff held an appreciation luncheon on

Tuesday, May 11 outside at the Caroline Culinary Arts Center.
Shelly Kulp. Executive Director of CASA of Caroline, thanked
each volunteer for the compassion and commitment they
demonstrated throughout the challenging logistics of a global
pandemic. Bob Friday, President of the Board of Directors and
one-time CASA volunteer advocate, also commended them for

their efforts during such a challenging year. Each volunteer was

presented with a copy of “Three Little Words”, the memoir of a

girl who spent nine difficult years in the foster care system and

eventually discovered her own voice.
CASA volunteers are people from all walks of life who have
been rigorously screened and trained. Each volunteer receives
30 hours of pre-service training, with an additional 12 hours of
continued education annually. A CASA volunteer is a sworn
friend of the court who provides the judge or magistrate with
the information needed to make well-informed decisions and
help ensure positive outcomes for children and youth in foster Pictured are CASA of Caroline’s Board of Directors and

care. These superheroes among us not only advocate for the staff at an a appreciation luncheon held on Tuesday, May
children within the court, child welfare and school systems, 11 outside at the Caroline Culinary Arts Center.
26