BELTON, Texas — Children in Central Texas have 11 new advocates to help them.
CASA, or Court Appointed Special Advocates, of Bell and Coryell Counties swore in 11 new volunteers on Monday, June 26. As CASA advocates, the new volunteers took an oath to be a voice for children in the child welfare system.
The volunteers were sworn in at the Bell County Courthouse in Belton, Texas, in a ceremony presided by the Honorable Judge Dallas Sims.
This was the second-largest group of advocates to join CASA of Bell and Coryell Counties in the history of the organization.
Before being sworn in, the new advocates completed 33 hours of training over five weeks, including in-classroom training, online modules and courtroom observation.
"I was honored to swear in such an awesome group of advocates," said Sims. "We are so grateful for such a strong CASA team supporting the youth of Bell and Coryell Counties!"
The new advocates are Denia Woods, Steve Wood, Tiffani Gregg, Miesha Elliot, Selene Sullivan, Michaela Denazen, Amber Peipert, Cheryl Lewis, Shirley Flowers, Martha Vazquez and Luther Harris.
"Having a voice is such a key part of your identity," said Elliot about why she wanted to become an advocate, "But what happens when you don't have a voice or someone to advocate for you? You get lost in the shuffle. Being a part of CASA allows me to advocate/be the voice of a child within the community. They WILL be heard."
Denazen and Lewis also spoke about what motivated them to join CASA.
"As a mom, I know what it feels like to want to protect a child and not get help," said Denazen. "As a CASA advocate, I get to be on the other side - I am able to take action, provide resources, support and empowerment for children and their families. I am proud and honored to be a part of an organization dedicated to help families."
"Children are the most vulnerable in our society," said Lewis. "CASA provides a great opportunity to show love and kindness to those who are the most deserving in their time of need." Lewis said she is excited to learn more about how the foster care system works, as her daughter is a foster mother in Kentucky.
The next training class for CASA advocates will begin on Tuesday, July 25. For more information, or if you are interested in learning how to become a CASA advocate, visit www.casabellcoryell.org/volunteer, or call the CASA office at (254) 774-1881.
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