Kohler Company made a generous donation on Thursday to CASA in the Heart of Texas in conjunction with a recent fundraiser.
Plant manager Scott Schaetz presented a check for $1000 to CASA’s Executive Director Michelle Wells at their office located at the Family Services Center in Brownwood. The donation sponsored two tables at the Movie Trivia Night fundraiser held on October 4th along with an additional donation.
Local companies sponsored tables and participated in the trivia night activities. The winning table was sponsored by Kohler (who took home the trophy) but was occupied by CASA volunteers according to Wells.
Wells stated that this event was suggested by one of the CASA board members who had been involved in a similar event in another area out of state.
The approximately 75 participants answered trivia questions in categories of movies genres such as chick flicks, horror and more. There were ten rounds to the competition according to Wells. Judges kept up with the scores each round and included Brownwood Chief of Police Mike Corley, Early Chief of Police David Mercer, and Joe Head of Goldthwaite who starred as Sandra Bullock’s son in The Blind Side. Another CASA board member was able to secure Head’s appearance through her close friend who is also Head’s mother, said Wells.
There were also silent and live auction items.
“We served pizza, drinks, cake and popcorn during the event. It was a lot of fun,” said Wells. “Everybody had a good time. This will be an annual event with a traveling trophy that the winner will get to take home each year.”
CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates. These volunteers advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children in courtrooms and communities. Volunteer advocates—empowered directly by the courts—offer judges the critical information they need to ensure that each child’s rights and needs are being attended to while in foster care. Volunteers stay with children until they are placed in loving permanent homes. For many abused children, a CASA volunteer is the only constant adult presence in their lives.
Funds raised from the event, approximately $7,000 according to Wells, will help provide a CASA volunteer for each child in the local service area that is in need, according to Wells. She stated that CASA in the Heart of Texas had volunteers for 88% of their cases at the end of the last fiscal year.
“We need more volunteers to take on new cases,” said Wells. She explained that cases increase as school comes back into session after the summer break. “At the start of school, we got an influx of cases because in the summer, kids are away from people such as teachers who are mandated to report possible cases (of child neglect and abuse). It’s unfortunate that we see that.”
Wells stated that training classes are now underway and that more training will be available as volunteers sign up to be a CASA. Wells stated that currently there are 74 children being served by CASA in Brown, Mills and Comanche Counties.
For more information about CASA and how to become a volunteer advocate, CLICK HERE.
Pictured above are Jeff Mitchell (Kohler Pottery Superintendent), Scott Schaetz (Kohler Plant Manager), Michelle Wells (CASA Executive Director), Jana Wright (CASA Administrative Assistant), Amanda Hayden (Case Manager), Mica Howard (Case Manager) and Marquis Robertson (CASA Volunteer Recruiter and Trainer).
