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CASA of Central Texas advocates for abused and neglected children in the court system by recruiting, training and supporting community volunteers.
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Welcome to another edition of CASA Up Close Monthly. Please feel free to contact CASA for more information about anything you read. And, as always, thank you for your continued support.
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Letter from the Executive Director
The Season of Giving
Last Monday, CASA was thrilled to be a part of Central Texas Adoption Day where we witnessed 24 children being adopted into loving homes. For these children, this holiday season will be special, it will be spent with family, an experience many of them have never had. But, there are still children who are waiting for their safe, permanent homes. And for these children, the holidays can be a lonely time.
Gathering with friends and family during the holidays is a tradition most of us take for granted. But for so many of the children served by CASA, the holidays provide a painful reminder that they are different
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Four-year-old Alannie and her brothers were adopted on Monday by her grandparents after 907 days, or 2 yrs, 5 months and 23 days, spent waiting to be adopted.
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from their peers - separated from parents, siblings, pets and close friends as they reside in foster care and other safe placements to shield them from further abuse and/or neglect.
Fortunately, this is often a time when many caring members of our community step forward to offer their help. It is this outpouring of concern and generosity that makes me particularly thankful during this holiday season. Just when our volunteers and staff are overwhelmed by the tragic reality of new abuse and neglect cases in Caldwell, Comal, Guadalupe and Hays Counties, the phone rings or my email inbox reveals a caring individual or group ready to extend a helping hand.
This meaningful support is what makes our community special. Your financial donations to CASA, your in-kind contributions, your volunteer hours, and your creative and meaningful offers to share your time and resources truly make a difference.
With your help, we are making a difference one child at a time. As you gather with your loved ones this holiday season, please know that your generosity is truly appreciated, and your gifts are providing hope for the children served by our dedicated CASA volunteers. Your contributions exemplify the heart of giving, and we are thankful.
Wishing you and yours a very happy holiday season,
Norma Castilla-Blackwell
Executive Director
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Become a CASA Volunteer
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CASA Volunteer Toni Urban sworn in March 2014
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Sign up for a 2016 Training Session
For more information on training sessions and becoming a CASA volunteer, contact Training Coordinator Debbie Haynes at 512-392-3578 or by
email, or click
here
to visit our website.
A New Volunteer Training Course is required for all new Court Appointed Special Advocate Volunteers.
The Volunteer Training Course is a 6-part training series and all 6 classes are required.
January 13 thru February 17, Wednesdays
4:30 PM to 8:30 PM, San Marcos
January 14 thru February 18, Thursdays
1:00 PM to 5:00 PM, New Braunfels
February 27 thru March 26, Saturdays
8:30 AM to 1:30 PM, San Marcos
March 9 thru April 13, Wednesdays
1:00 PM to 5:00 PM, San Marcos
March 10 thru April 1, Thursdays
4:30 PM to 8:30 PM, New Braunfels
San Marcos
Historic Hays County Courthouse Room 101
111 E. San Antonio Street
New Braunfels
CASA office
1619 E. Common Street, Building C
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Volunteer Spotlight
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| Gillian Siemens, CASA volunteer since 2013 |
"I wanted to volunteer my time to something that was meaningful."
"The 'System' often forgets the children in their day-to-day handling of a case."
"CASA Volunteers are desperately needed for each family of children removed from their homes. You will certainly not be wasting your time!"
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Voices Tour Information Sessions
Want to learn more about the role of a CASA Volunteer?
Come to
our
one-hour information session and hear how our volunteers advocate for children who have been abused and neglected.
CASA staff and volunteers will be on hand to share their stories and answer your questions.
Voices Tours
New Braunfels
CASA office
Wednesday, December 2nd - noon
San Marcos
Historic Hays County Courthouse, Room 101
Wednesday, December 9th - noon
Please RSVP to Eloise Hudson by email or at 830-626-2272.
Would you like to host a CASA Voices Tour in your town? Please contact us!
Lunch provided by Fox's Pizza Den in New Braunfels and Chick-fil-A in San Marcos.
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Annual Toy Drive, Gift Cards Needed
This holiday season, CASA of Central Texas is collaborating with local organizations and individuals to provide gifts for abused and neglected children. This annual project is a wonderful opportunity to extend the giving tradition to children in our community.
More than 230 of our children have already been selected and we are close to our goal of providing a gift for every child we serve. We currently need gift cards donated for our teenagers who would like to shop for themselves and for children placed out of region.
Visit our toy drive webpage to see specific gift card requests, or you may donate gift cards from Walmart, Target, Academy and Best Buy in increments of $20.
Gift cards may be dropped off to either CASA office.
If you have any questions, please contact Eloise Hudson by
email or at 830-626-2272.
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Annual Volunteer Appreciation Mixer
All CASA of Central Texas volunteers and their guest are invited to this year's annual Advocate Appreciation Mixer.
Wine, hors d'oeuvres, music and swearing in of new advocates.
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December 1st is the fourth annual #GivingTuesday worldwide. It is a day to inspire personal philanthropy and encourage bigger, better and smarter charitable giving during the holiday season.
If you spend on Black Friday or Cyber Monday, please consider kicking off the holiday giving season with an end-of-year charitable gift to CASA of Central Texas! Click here to donate.
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Attend the Army All-American Bowl
The U.S. Army All-American Bowl coordinators are once again offering
free tickets to CASA of Central Texas.
This is a great opportunity for advocates to have an outing with the children on your cases or request tickets for their placement so they may attend together.
CASA of Central Texas was provided with general admission ticket vouchers, available on a first come, first serve basis. They can be picked up from either CASA office
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Advocate John Nutting with his CASA child at a previous U.S. Army All-American Bowl Game.
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What
: The U.S. Army All-American Bowl is an East versus West showdown that features the top 90 high school football players from across the country and the nation's top 125 high school marching musicians who perform during half-time.
When: January 9th, 2016, noon
Where:
Alamodome, Downtown San Antonio
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State Conference held in San Marcos
The annual Texas CASA Conference was held again in San Marcos this year and CASA of Central Texas Volunteers and Staff attended the workshops November 5-7 at the Embassy Suites Conference Center.
Thirteen CASA of Ce
ntral Texas volunteers attended the conference on a scholarship provided by HD Supply and the Texas CASA CVC Growth Grant.
"Attending the 2015 CASA conference was a great opportunity in so many ways. As a first-year volunteer, it gave me a chance to see and hear how CASA operates on a state level and how committed to "the cause" everyone involved is. It felt like a huge family reunion - everybody was open, friendly, willing to share their time, their experiences and their wisdom. I gained a lot of good perspective from that and feel part of that huge family now." - Lisa Metzler
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Our raffle winners were Patty Willett & Larry Patterson, congratulations!
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A CE was held on November 10
in New Braunfels at the
Gruene United Methodist Church. Pastor Karen Horan spoke with CASA advocates about the importance of self-care in the helping profession.
Taking time to do fun things for ourselves and remembering what we each are thankful for were highlighted. She recommended exercise, fresh air, gardening, walking and other activities to "soak up the sun".
We look forward to offering more continuing education classes next year - see you there!
Advocates are required to complete
12 hoursof continuing education per year.
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Save the Date
Mark your calendars to spend the evening
with CASA for our annual fundraiser.
April 8, 2016
6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Wurstfest Stelzenhaus, New Braunfels
Honoring
Judge Bert Cobb, Hays County
&
Judge Charles Stephens, Comal County Court at Law #2
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Donate Your Jury Pay to CASA
CASA of Central Texas is now appearing on the county courts
 list as a local charitable organization to whom jurors may elect to donate their jury duty pay.
CASA is on the Jury Pay Donation lists of all four of our counties - Caldwell, Comal, Guadalupe and Hays. If you serve as a juror, please look for our name and consider donating to CASA!
Thank you County Judges, Commissioners and Administrators!
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Support CASA Through Payroll Deduction
CASA of Central Texas has been approved to participate in several payroll deductions campaigns for public employees.
If you qualify for one of these campaigns through your employer, please consider supporting CASA. Your friends and family can also participate, so help us get the word out!
State Employee Charitable Campaign (SECC):
CASA of Central Texas agency listing - 475017
Combined Federal Campaign (CFC):
CASA of Central Texas agency listing - 60661
San Antonio Metropolitan Area (SAMA) Public Sector Campaigns:
City of San Antonio Charitable Campaign
Bexar County Charitable Campaign
Combined School District Charitable Campaign
City of Austin Combined Charities Campaign (COACCC):
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Community Supporters
CASA of Central Texas received funds from the Seguin Parrot Head Club this month.
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Stay Connected
Spread the Word
Click the icon to view our profile
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Upcoming Events
December
Voices Tour in New Braunfels
10th
Voices Tour in San Marcos
11th
Advocate Appreciation Mixer
6:30
p.m.
The Vineyard at Gruene
2016
January
6th
Voices Tour in New Braunfels
20th
Voices Tour in San Marcos
Noon - 1 p.m.
Historic Courthouse room 101
February
3rd
Voices Tour in New Braunfels
17th
Voices Tour in San Marcos
Historic Courthouse room 101
CASA Volunteer Training Begins
8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Historic Hays County Courthouse room 101
More info click here
March
2nd
Voices Tour in New Braunfels
9th
CASA Volunteer Training Begins
Historic Hays County Courthouse room 101
10th
CASA Volunteer Training Begins
New Braunfels CASA office
16th
Voices Tour in San Marcos
Historic Courthouse room 101
April
6th
Voices Tour in New Braunfels
6:30 p.m.
Wurstfest Stelzenhaus
New Braunfels
20th
Voices Tour in San Marcos
Noon - 1 p.m.
Historic Courthouse
room 101
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