Summer Newsletter

HEWLETT-PACKARD
Everyday Heroes
211 N. Walnut, Danville Illinois
Did You Know?

August 20, 2015
Summer 2015
Greetings from Our New
Advocate Coordinator
It has been a few busy months since I started at CASA as
the Advocate Coordinator. I am so thankful for this
position, and I have enjoyed getting to know all of our
advocates. We have a great team serving Vermilion
County!

Inside This Issue:
Welcome to Our 1
New
Advocate
Coordinator
I am currently recruiting and preparing for the next training
class that is set to begin the first week of September. We
are looking forward to expanding the number of available
advocates, so we can better serve the growing number of
child victims.
Meredith Brooks
Advocate Coordinator
Meet the New
Advocates
2
Our Heroes
3
Ready to volunteer? Please contact
Book Club
News
3
Danville’s
Finest and
Bravest
5
Lucas Seilhymer or Meredith Brooks at
217-446-5975 or visit our website
casavermilion.org, for additional
information.
Page 2
Everyday Heroes
Volunteers Become CASA Heroes
After completing 30 hours of pre-service training, seven
new Court Appointed Special Advocates were sworn in
recently by Judge Claudia Anderson. These advocates will
serve abused and neglected children within the court system
to determine their best interests and report their findings to
the court.
The new advocates are Sandy Walts, Michael Seilhymer,
Jacqueline Seilhymer, Linda Barselow, Kari Matthews and
Vinny Drake. The new Advocate Coordinator, Meredith
Brooks, also completed the training.
Also present at the swearing in ceremony were attorneys
Liya Hussmann Rogers, Rebecca Parkhurst, and Bridget
Schott. They served as an expert panel, along with Judge
Anderson, to answer any questions the advocates had.
“Serving others, for me, is one of the most rewarding
aspects of life,” said Jacqueline Seilhymer.
Last year 525 child abuse cases were substantiated in
Vermilion County which ranks 6th in the state with 23.2 per
1,000 children in Illinois.
“I hope as a CASA that I can give a voice to abused and
neglected children in our community,” said Kari Matthews.
CASA volunteers are appointed by the Juvenile Court
Judge to conduct an independent investigation of the
child’s circumstances and submit their findings and
recommendations to the Court.
The advocate visits with their appointed child regularly and
interviews all relevant people in the child’s life including but
not limited to : foster parents, biological parents, relatives,
teachers, doctors, caseworkers, counselors and therapists.
“The greatest challenge will be gathering all of the
information needed to help the lawyers and judge” said
Linda Barselow.
Additionally the advocate attends court hearings,
administrative case reviews and any other meetings
pertaining to the child. The advocates use the information
they have gathered to make a written recommendation to
the court regarding the child’s well-being and long term
permanency options which range from reunification to
adoption.
“As the new Advocate Coordinator, I look forward to
working with these dedicated volunteers,” said Meredith
Brooks.
CASA requires volunteers to be at least 21 years old and
pass a comprehensive background check. References are
also requested. The next training is slated to begin the first
week of September. If you interested in becoming a CASA
Advocate, contact Executive Director Lucas Seilhymer or
Advocate Coordinator Meredith Brooks at 217-446-5975.
Swearing in by Judge Anderson are left to right: Linda Barselow, Jacqueline Seilhymer, Michael
Seilhymer, Sandy Walts, Meredith Brooks and Kari Matthews. Absent is Vinny Drake.
CASA Book Club Meets Monthly
Interested in joining the CASA book club? Our first meeting was held July 27 with a discussion of Three
Little Words a memoir written by Ashley Rhodes-Courter. Ashley spent nine years of her life in fourteen
different foster homes. As her mother spirals out of control,
Ashley is left clinging to an unpredictable, dissolving relationship,
all the while getting pulled deeper and deeper into the foster care
system. The discussion was lead by Advocate Linda Culotti.
The next book club meeting will be held September 1 at 6 p.m.
with a continued discussion of Three Little Words. The meetings
are held at CASAs new location at 211 N. Walnut Street.
Advocates can earn in-service points for their participation by
documenting their time on Optima.
Future reads include Three More Words by Ashley Rhodes-Courter
and Till the End of June by Cris Beam.
Be a Hero.
Be an
Advocate.
Meet the Advocates, Our Everyday Heroes

Linda Barselow

Dee Ann Ryan

Jim Boudoris

Jacqueline Seilhymer

Wendy Brown

Michael Seilhymer

Maria Coleman

Lisa Taapkin

Mel Cornell

Sandy Walts

Angie Cox

Steve White

Linda Culotti

Vinny Drake

Mary Mancuso

Julie Mellen

Kari Matthews

Michelle Mitchell

Tamarai Red
Thanks to Our Grant
Supporters
2015—2016
United Way
Iroquois
Federal
Foundation
Page 4
Everyday Heroes
Get in Touch
Lucas Seilhymer
Board of Directors
Volunteering Time and Talents
Executive Director
Jane Dobbles, President
211 North Walnut
Danville, IL 61832
217-446-5975 | O
217-446-6018 | F
www.casavermilion.org
Alayne Anderson, Vice President
Patti Rull, Treasurer
Lois Gholson, Secretary
Megan Mudd
Molly Nicholson
Neal Ehrlich
Tricia Keith
Anna Sykes
Lauren Wonderlin
Bill Wright
Liya Hussmann Rogers
Advocate Training to
begin September 9th.
Please contact
Meredith Brooks
at 217-446-5975
for additional
information.
Summer 2015
Page 5
Finest vs. Bravest
This Saturday!
www.casavermilion.org
Volunteer Your
Time to Change
a Child's Life
Nobody longs for a safe and
loving family more than a child
in foster care. As a CASA volunteer, you are empowered by the
courts to help make this dream
a reality. You will not only bring
positive change to the lives of
these vulnerable children, but
also their children and generations to come. And in doing so,
you will enrich your life as well.
What Do CASA
Volunteers Do?
CASA volunteers listen first.
Then they act.
Volunteers get to know the child
by talking with everyone in that
child's life: parents and relatives,
foster parents, teachers, medical
professionals, attorneys, social
workers and others. They use the
information they gather to inform
judges and others of what the
child needs and what will be the
best permanent home for them.