By DAVID SWEARINGEN
TheFlashToday.com
ERATH COUNTY (February 5, 2016) – Back in 2001, a group of concerned citizens realized that the needs of children being removed from their homes by Child Protective Services in Erath County were not being addressed. They met to discuss this issue on September 4, 2001. A community leader meeting was held on October 18, 2001 and a steering committee was formed approximately a month later. The Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws were developed and CASA for the Cross Timbers Area, Inc. became a legal entity on April 11, 2002. The whole idea of having CASA in the Cross Timbers Area was initiated by Morgan Mill resident, Lore Dietrich.
The Cross Timbers CASA program has grown from a staff of one with two volunteer advocates serving five children in Erath County to a staff of 3.5 (3 full time and one part time) with 32 advocates serving an average of 165 children annually in four counties – Bosque, Eastland, Erath and Hamilton.
Lore Dietrich was one of those first two volunteers when the program began in Stephenville in 2002. Lore also served on the 1st Board along with Judy Walker. Judy is now the CASA Executive Director in the Stephenville office. Judy Walker has been an official paid employee of CASA since April 2012. She came to work for CASA after spending 38 years in education. She was the Principal at Central Elementary of Stephenville from 2001 to 2011.
Dietrich has been involved in working and volunteering with CASA for 27 years. Before Cross Timbers CASA, she worked for CASA in the Texas Panhandle area and later in Granbury. Lore has been recognized and given awards several times over the years. In 2005, she was given the “Lone Star Proud for Kids Special Recognition Award”. In April 2016, she was given a Texas flag and a certificate from the State of Texas House of Representatives for her service.
CASA advocates do a variety of tasks but one of their most important roles is that they basically serve as a friend to the child that they are assigned to. These children that are going thru the legal system see so many different and unfamiliar faces each day. The CASA advocate or “friend” is someone that not only helps to see that the child’s needs are being met but also serves as a familiar face that the child can hopefully derive some comfort from. The advocate sometimes gathers data from parents, teachers, doctors, therapists and CPS caseworkers that can be helpful for the child’s case. CASA can always use more volunteers but volunteers must be committed because cases tend to be open for anywhere from 6 to 18 months. To learn more and to find out how you can help by either volunteering or donation, go to www.casacta.org. Judy Walker says that she is available to speak to your church, service club or organization about CASA. She can be contacted at 254-965-6610 or judy@casacta.org.
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