CASSOPOLIS — Five new Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) sworn in Wednesday afternoon in Cass County Probate Court by Judge Susan Dobrich represent different ages, backgrounds and careers.

But two common threads connect the four women and Dowagiac man, CASA Director James Ward said.

All have children of their own.

All had a personal experience that brought them closer to becoming a CASA.

“They know they will need our encouragement and support in the tough times,” Ward said, “and want to share the great joys that also come from being a CASA and making a difference to these kids. Be diligent in your work, committed to the cases you take and objective in your reports to the judge. I know you will.”

CASA volunteers fulfill 35 hours of training for the assignment.

Jessica Lamberson of Edwardsburg is a mom with a child under age 2. She was once a member of Big Brothers Big Sisters, but wanted to do more than be a pal.

Ward said she has been interested for a long time. He first talked to her in 2009.

Lamberson “contacted me late last year when she knew the time was right.”

Joyce Shellito of St. Joseph is the married mother of three, with a high school son still at home.

Shellito teaches a “Just for Kids” program at her church, facilitates a middle school group of girls in Bible study and is a board member of “Calling All Colors of Southwestern Michigan,” which brings grade-school children together to learn tolerance and diversity through play.

Erica Boulanger of Cassopolis has been with CASA 4 1/2 years and was recently promoted to program coordinator, which Ward said means she supervises a group of volunteers among her involvement in many aspects of the program.

Besides being a full-time mom to Ella, Erica is very active in her community as a board member of Cass Clinic, vice chair of the Cass County Youth Council and Children’s Chapel at her church.

Amy Lewis of Cassopolis, the young mother of three children, is a real estate agent.

Born in New Zealand, most of her family still resides there.

“Amy is very committed to giving all children a safe, permanent home, having spent some of her own childhood in foster care,” Ward said.

Bruce Hendrickson of Dowagiac recently moved to the area from Illinois.

Married and the father of three grown children, he is raising his young granddaughter as a guardian.

Before retirement, he worked as a picture car mechanic in the film industry.

Judge Dobrich spoke of the paradox of our time in history by an unknown author.

“We have taller buildings,” she read, “but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints; we spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy it less.

“We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences but less time; we have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; more experts, but more problems; more medicine, but less wellness.

“We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom and hate too often. We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve added years to life, not life to others.

“We’ve been all the way to the moon and back,” Dobrich stated, “but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new  neighbor. We’ve conquered outer space, but not inner space. We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We’ve split the atom, but not our prejudice. We have higher incomes, but lower morals. We’ve become long on quantity, but short on quality.

“These are the times of tall men and short character; steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare; more leisure, but less fun; more kinds of food, but less nutrition. These are days of two incomes, but more divorce; of fancier houses, but broken homes.

“It is a time when there is much in the show window and nothing in the stockroom; a time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to make a difference or just to … hit delete,” she said.