By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
CASSOPOLIS – They might have been prospective jurors given the broad avenue traveled for their life experiences.
Court-Appointed Special Advocates' (CASA) new Director James Ward, who completed his training as a member of the Class of 2008, said the seven volunteers who completed 35 hours of training during October and were sworn in Thursday afternoon by Judge Susan Dobrich are a diverse group that includes a retired systems engineer who teaches Sunday school, a mother of grown children who is a leader in her church, two retired teachers and counselors with a combined 64 years of experience working with children, a young dog grooming entrepreneur, a mother of five grown children who is a retired attorney and judge, two retired business executives – Ward, transplanted to Diamond Lake from his native South Bend, Ind., is one and the other works with special needs children, teaching them how to horseback ride.
"Every one of these people is involved in other local community activities and they volunteer for church and other programs in addition to this huge CASA commitment," Ward said.
"It's an honor to be part of them."
Retired Dowagiac middle school principal Ron Walsworth, vice president of the CASA board, expressed surprise at delivering his remarks to a crowded courtroom, from volunteers' family and friends to Prosecutor Victor Fitz and his entire staff of attorneys, referee Leigh Feldman and two Cass County commissioners, Johnie Rodebush of Niles and Gordon Bickel of Constantine.
"I thought I'd be addressing seven people," Walsworth, a former English teacher, said. "It's so nice to see this many people who are friends and family of CASA. I remember a novel written in the 1960s by Joseph Wambaugh titled 'The Thin Blue Line.'
"The Thin Blue Line's thesis was that standing between civilization and barbarianism was a thin blue line – law enforcement and the Justice Department. CASA volunteers create a thin blue line of another sort for little kids to allow them to be little kids, and not just be a number in the system."
"I want to congratulate new members for volunteering because you're not just a volunteer – you're sacrificing," Walsworth said. "Your time and some money, too, in the process, I'm sure, but it's a very rewarding experience."
Fitz commented, "This is very important to us, so I'm glad to have my whole staff here. Cass County is very fortunate to have a CASA program and to have Judge Dobrich and the other people who support it. It's a very important tool in dealing with children. It's good to see all of you (graduating volunteers) again. It's like graduation from basic training."
Fitz continued the military analogy by referring to an article he read by Gen. Colin Powell, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Secretary of State.
"He was talking about something that's very much on all of our minds," Fitz said. "The economy and how it's such a desperate time for so many. One of the things he said our next Congress needs to address is the importance of youth. He talked about how every school day, 7,000 kids drop out of school. Those aren't abstract statistics. Those are flesh and blood, real individuals. You will have a chance to impact kids who have problems far greater than just whether or not they're going to graduate from school. These are kids who are dealing with some of the toughest problems a child in our society deals with. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of these kids, who have emotions, personalities and spirit. You'll be able to impact them in a positive way so they can lead a healthy lifestyle in the future and be a contributing member of our society."
Katherine Yoder, a social worker with the Cass County Department of Human Services, who attended last week's adoption for a child CASA Marv Middleton mentored, said each time their heart breaks, it scars over but opens their arms wider. Yoder said she couldn't do her job without her CASA workers and their fresh perspective.
"Every child should have a CASA worker," Yoder said.
Dobrich read from a CASA poem: "We speak for a child who wears shoes that are too large, whose nightmares are reality, who have never heard of Mickey Mouse and whose parents ran away. We are the voice of a child who feels at fault, who lives in fear of Daddy coming home, who wonders what it's like to have a friend sleep over and eats only food from McDonald's. We stand for a child who has never been to the doctor" or been visited by the Tooth Fairy and who "knows too well what an attorney looks like. We listen to a child who doesn't know what the truth is, who is in constant need of a bear hug, who finds freedom only on a swing and wants Mommy and Daddy to stop fighting, who has never had a bandage or a kiss on an owie, who thinks we are the best friends they ever had. We are the people who often read these children their very first fairy tale, who wipe away their tears with their sleeves, who want to believe life is worth living. Together, we make a difference."
Director James Ward introduced board members Donna Csokasy, Pat Eustice, Janet Hall, Hank Ziemke and Walsworth and administrative assistant Erica Boulanger.
Pat Wagner, a Berrien County native from Lansing, who works for Children's Charter, attended nine of the 10 training sessions in Cassopolis during October.
"I honestly believe that this group of people will be exceptional advocates for you, judge," Wagner said. "I believe they have the children at heart and that they really do want to make a difference. And at swearing-in ceremonies we forget to talk about the rest of you who sat at home a lot while we did the training. There are going to be some times you're going to feel left out of this process because of confidentiality. Your partner won't be able to say to you, 'This is why I'm frustrated.' I hope you will encourage and support and hold hands, cry on your shoulder and vent to you if need be. They're going to need that. There will also be great joys that they can share with you, like when a child simply says, 'I want you to meet my CASA. This is my friend.' You will not believe you had any impact in that child's life, then suddenly that child will say something small, but so significant because you made a difference in their lives. That's what we're about – making a difference to these kids. Be diligent in your work, committed to the cases you take, objective and present fantastic reports to the judge so she has the most thorough knowledge she can possibly have when she has to make tough decisions for kids."