I walked into work today and the office felt like a beehive of activity. The energy level was through the roof and it was only 8:00 a.m. When talking about CASA, I often say, “I need your time and/or your money.” Ultimately, it is my responsibility to ensure we have the funds we need to support the mission and the volunteers we need to deliver the program.
Volunteers are a diverse group. Some people want to be in the trenches. They make the commitment to CASA training and the subsequent ten to fifteen volunteer hours a month for at least two years. These are the people who can give their time to be a Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteer. They have big shoes to fill because they are the volunteers that carry out the critical mission of CASA, one case at a time. They are the volunteers that people think about when they hear the word “CASA.”
Back to the beehive. There are hundreds of volunteers who support CASA’s mission and they do so without a lot of fanfare or acknowledgement. When I say I need your time, I am also looking for people who seek non-court volunteer opportunities. Today, there were volunteers in the office doing all kinds of tasks. Some come on a regular basis and others come in for specific projects, like helping to get our spring letter in the mail, processing case files for closure, or preparing materials for our next training class. There are committees of people who work alongside our Board of Directors (also volunteers) on volunteer and donor recruitment and retention, public policy, fiscal oversight, event planning, strategic planning and several more “ad hoc” workgroups. While CASA depends on volunteers to keep things going on a day-to-day basis, today was special. The buzz was overwhelming.
Several months ago, COMCAST employees chose CASA of Lane County as the recipient agency of their COMCAST Cares Day. I had no idea exactly what to expect, but I was certainly surprised to learn what they had in store for us. They have been planning projects with the expectation that one hundred COMCAST employees, their families and friends will undertake this Saturday. The COMCAST team is taking care of EVERY detail with such care and enthusiasm. They are doing projects that we would have never dreamed could happen, like remodeling our “foster care” closet so that is welcoming, warm and functional. In partnership with the Umpqua Bank volunteers, who have sorted and hung the gently used clothing donations every month for the last FIVE years, they are creating a space that conveys to the children that they matter. They are using their skills and time to express to children in foster care that we care. We all care. It’s humbling.
Today (and every day, really), I invite you to join our “beehive” of opportunities and activities. Join us in continuing to fulfill our mission to serve our community’s most vulnerable children.
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