CASA KANE COUNTY FALL 2014
100 S. Third Street, Suite 460, Geneva, IL 60134 P: 630-232-4484 F: 630-232-4562 www.casakanecounty.org
CASA Child Shares her Inspirational Story
CASA Kane
County hosted its
fourth annual Super
Heroes Breakfast on
October 2nd, with
nearly 400 people in
attendance. This
event helps inform
the public about the
increasing need for
child advocacy in our
community.
This year we invited a CASA child to speak
about her journey and share the times she had
growing up in several different foster homes.
CiCi spoke from the heart
and told us,
“I was so scared and wor-
ried about what would
happen to me and my big
sister” and how the only
constant in her life was her
CASA/GAL, Gloria L. The
duo shared a touching story
about their journey together
Jewell & Randy Meridith
Thank You to our Mission Partners!
Board of Directors
Mike Frasier, Chair The Wine Exchange
Kevin O’Donnell, Vice Chair
O’Donnell Commercial Real Estate
Carl Schoedel, Secretary Kane County Division of Transportation
Mike Kwiatkowski, Treasurer Retirement Solutions, Inc.
David Bird DuPage Airport Authority
Gloria Bunce CASA Executive Director
Steve Collins Wight & Company
Tom Detelich Grandview Capital, LLC
Dan Dolan Dolan & Murphy, Inc.
Carlie Dunteman SomerCor 504 Inc.
Tamra Domeyer
Exelon Generation
Jennifer Paganessi-Fisher Howard & Howard
Roly Orama
Chubb Group of Insurance Companies
Mari Pierce AlphaGraphics - St. Charles
Jerry Rose Total Living International
Jackie Rosenfeldt
Grant Thornton, LLP
Jim Schaechter UPS
Fred Schramm
Schramm Construction Corporation
Mike Trimarco
St. Charles Bank and Trust
Continued on Page 6
Continued on Page 7
Doris Hunt
Golfers Celebrate
For Children
The storms held off for the 280 golfers who
participated in CASA Kane County's 11th Annu-
al Golf for a Child Invitational on August 25th at
the St. Charles and Royal Fox Country Clubs.
CASA Kane County honored Bob Stell of St.
Charles for his continued support of our organi-
zation and the Grow a Healthy Child Garden.
over nearly five years of multiple foster
homes, none of which provided CiCi with the
stability and permanency that she craved. Her
CASA/GAL was always by her side, through
endless court appearances, phone calls and
visitations.
As CiCi stated “I had no idea that my
CASA Gloria did not get paid for the
work she had done” and she believes
“every child should have a CASA
worker.” Luke Slawek of FONA
Event Co-Chair
Sheriff Pat Perez with
Rick Guzman, City of Aurora
CiCi and CASA/GAL Gloria
The Voice www.casakanecounty.org
Letter from the Executive Director
I hope you had a chance to enjoy the colors of the changing leaves as
we move into this upcoming holiday season. As I say that, I am reminded
of many of our foster youth who do not have the luxury of a loving family
or relatives to enjoy the things we can take for granted. Fortunately, our
children have a CASA/GAL volunteer that cares for their well-being and
helps them find the permanency they deserve, so they too, can share these
special times with loved ones.
For a moment I will reflect on what we have been able to accomplish
this year and what lies ahead for us in the last quarter of 2014. We’ve already exceeded the
highest number of children served in both courts and I am fearful of many more. Although this
is not good news, we are fortunate that with your support and resources, CASA Kane County
will be able to maintain that 100% of children who need one are appointed a CASA/GAL vol-
unteer. This is so important as the benefits of having that caring and committed person by their
side is immeasurable. CASA Kane County was able to launch its Legacy Friends program with
a new video and event held at the home of one of our founders, Mrs. Doris Hunt. We also held
our largest Auction and Golf events with more people in attendance than ever before. In April,
our Fund a Child initiative began by asking our Board leadership to create giving pages and
help us fund one child at a time.
As we embark on the last quarter of this year with rising caseloads of vulnerable children to
care for, I want you to know that we are doing everything we can to ensure that our program
will provide the valuable one-on-one advocacy that our children deserve. Our CASA/GAL vol-
unteers, committee members, donors and staff all make a tremendous team with so many turns
and twists, but the most important thing we do is champion for our children and provide suc-
cessful outcomes that last a lifetime.
Thank you for continuing to believe in the CASA Kane County organization, our judiciary
and the children who need us the most!
Gloria Bunce
Executive Director
Fall 2014 2
Chairman’s
Advisory Panel
Dan Dolan, Co-Chair Luke Slawek, Co-Chair Kaleen Barbera David Bird Dr. Ileana Brooks Erin Brown-Carter Jim Chakires Ryan Corcoran Carlie Dunteman Anton Engelmann Gary Hansberger Larry Hayes Jonathan Hylton Pat Kelsey Mark Klaisner Robert Landrum Paul Lencioni Michael Moore Dave Ott Pat Perez Martin Pierce Jim Plonczynski Jeffrey Robinson Zaida Rodriguez Dan Ross Vicky Rullo Bob Runke Brad Urhausen Ed Werneke
Current Staff
Gloria Bunce Executive Director
Sarah Baxa Volunteer & Outreach Coordinator
Lauren Egan Development & Event Coordinator
Marilyn Ellefsen Database Specialist
Kim Flad Advocate Supervisor
Amy Girardot Director of Advocate Supervision Lori Hewitt Director of Development
Julie Hipp Stewardship Coordinator
Barb Kleinow Executive Office Administrator
Cathy McCoy Advocate Supervisor
Jocelyn McMahan Advocate Supervisor
Deb McQuaid Director of Advocate Education
Candy Miller Advocate Supervisor
Vicki Shaw Director of Advancement
Kelly Vatianou Advocate Supervisor
“There are those whose lives affect all others
around them. Quietly touching one heart, who
in turn, touches another. Reaching out to ends
further than they would ever know.”
~ William Bradfield
Welcome Judge Parkhurst!
CASA Kane County welcomes Judge William Parkhurst as the new Judge
presiding over Abuse/Neglect cases in Juvenile Court. He served in the Aurora
Branch court, after practicing family law. As a practitioner, he represented
CASA in pro bono cases and appeared before the Abuse and Neglect court as an
adoption attorney. He and his wife Julie have been married for 25 years, and
have four children.
Judge Parkhurst has been a consistent supporter of CASA Kane County say-
ing that CASA is “a great organization doing important work.”
3 The Voice www.casakanecounty.org
Thank you to the newest sworn-in volunteers who
are making better lives for our most vulnerable chil-
dren!
To meet the growing need of children entering the
16th Kane County Judicial Court system, CASA
Kane County needed to train more advocates to en-
sure that 100% of children continue to receive a vol-
unteer who is looking out for their best interests.
CASA Kane County has already served
more children in 2014 than last year, which
equates to the highest number of children served in
its 26 year history.
Congratulations! Amanda Boenzi
Dudley Burgess
Marissa Chapman
Kim Flad
Alison France
Pam Gonzales
Maureen Jakubowski
Jerry Jania
Sandra King
Dave LaBash
Karly Mannia
Lori McCaffrey
Aracelli Mendez
Gerrit Nagarwalla
Stephanie Nagarwalla
Jeff Otterby
Jen Otterby
Mike Pedersen
Chris Potkanowicz
Roger Rathjen
Michelle Sturgill
James Sweet
Dana Teichart
Yesenia Varela
Gabriel Velez
Patricia Wisz
CASA Trains Largest Class Ever!
Meet our new
Board President Mike Frasier was elected as the Board Chair of CASA Kane County in May of 2014. Mike is the owner of the Wine Exchange in downtown St. Charles. He grew up in Northern California and after his retirement from Sears, he turned his passion for wine into a suc-cessful business and shares his knowledge with others. We are fortunate to have Mike’s professional experience and personal support to further the mis-sion of CASA Kane County.
Welcome New
Advocate Supervisors
Kim Flad also joined us as a new Advocate Supervisor with a BSW from Aurora University and more than 20 years of experience working in the field of social ser-vices. She and her husband reside in St. Charles and were previously licensed foster parents for five years and opened their home to more than 30 at-risk teens.
Kelly Vatianou joined us as a new Advocate Supervisor with nearly 10 years of child welfare agency experience. She graduated with a Master of Social Work
from Aurora University and is a resident of Batavia. She is currently working on obtaining her LCSW. (Licensed Clinical Social Worker).
These cases last only one to three
months, but the information provided
to the Judge is invaluable in making an
informed decision regarding the
child’s future.
This year, CASA Kane County has
provided an advocate to more than 109
children involving private guardian-
ship cases.
If you are not already aware, CASA
is involved in Probate court with private
guardianship petitions which do not
involve the Department of Children and
Family Service (DCFS).
CASA has been providing this valu-
able service to the Probate Court Judge
in Kane County since 2004 and was the
first CASA program to do so in the na-
tion.
The Judge relies upon the CASA to
provide information about the petition-
ing guardian’s home and lifestyle.
They do this by visiting with the minor,
interviewing parents and other relevant
parties, and submitting a written report
to the court with the facts of each case.
Did You Know That Minors in Probate Court
Receive a CASA/GAL Advocate?
Fall 2014 4
Be Inspired by CASA Kane County’s Bridge Builders
CASA has given me, a very ordinary per-
son, the blessed opportunity to speak up
for a child, and I know that because of
CASA, children will have hope!
~ Doris Hunt
For more information, please contact
Vicki Shaw at 630-444-3100 or
Thanks to CASA/GAL volunteer,
Jim L’Allier, CASA Kane County now
has a professionally produced video
where three individuals whose lives
have been touched by this organiza-
tion, tell their story and reasons they
chose to leave their legacy for CASA.
View the video at this website:
https://vimeo.com/100164188
A young man set out on a life-long
journey to cross a deep chasm filled with
many dangerous obstacles. He skillfully
crossed boiling white-water rapids--
avoided deadly whirlpools, and traversed
a raging waterfall. After many years, he
finally reached the other side of the
chasm.
He was now an old man and his jour-
ney was almost over. But then he started
to build a bridge back to the other side. A
puzzled fellow traveler said to him, “Old
man you will never pass this way again.
Why waste your strength building this
bridge?”
The old man said, “Just before I en-
tered the chasm I noticed a young child on
the path. The dangers that I faced may
prove fatal to one so young. So, good
friend, I am building this bridge for him.”
~“The Bridgebuilders”
Thanks to the Gordon
Flesch Foundation, children
will receive their very own
“Lifebook.”
This keepsake memory
book helps children in the
foster care system record their
memories and life events.
Every Child Deserves A Keepsake for Their
Memories
CASA Continues to Achieve
Positive Outcomes for Children!
72% of Probate cases closed in
60 days or less. Goal: 90%
91% of CASA volunteers were
retained. Goal: 85%
24% of active CASA volunteers
were men, 11% were minorities,
and 12% were bilingual.
Goals: 25% male, 10% minority,
15% bilingual
100% of children did not
experience re-abuse. Goal: 100%
76% of children in Abuse/Neglect
Court have resided in two or fewer
placements. Goal: 75%
94% of children had no change in
their CASA/GAL volunteer.
Goal: 90%
97% of children in Probate Court
resided in two or fewer placements.
Goal: 95%
68% of Abuse/Neglect cases closed
in 36 months or less with
permanency outcomes.
Goal: 75%
CASA Kane County’s 2014 - 3rd Quarter Outcomes
5 The Voice www.casakanecounty.org
Child Abuse and the Growing Brain - Fall Conference Focus
As one CASA stated:
"“I understand so much more
what is going on in these
kids’ brains after the work-
shop—impulsiveness, with-
drawal, etc. Really every par-
ent should know this—thanks
to CASA for putting such rel-
evant workshops together.
It’s worth taking a day off of
work to attend!" CASA Kane County would like to
give special thanks to the generous
sponsors of this event that is held an-
nually to provide in-service credits to
our CASA/GAL volunteers so we can
maintain our accreditation with the
National CASA organization.
On September 12, more than 300
attendees joined CASA Kane County
and local community agencies at our
Annual Fall Conference. Speaker Frank
Kros from the Upside Down Organiza-
tion presented an astonishing look at the
brain of traumatized children and its
long-term impact.
Survey results from the conference
reflected overwhelmingly positive feed-
back.
There’s something
about knowing that you made
a difference in a child’s life
that is more fulfilling than
anything else in this world.
~ Jimmy Wayne
Please Join Us for a Wonderful Evening to Support Children!
Sponsorships, program ads and raffle tickets are available.
Visit www.casakanecounty.org for regular updates!
Contact Lori Hewitt, Director of Development at 630-444-3107 or [email protected]
After sharing intimate stories of her
life’s struggles, CiCi was proud to
tell the crowd that she has turned
her life around with the support of
her CASA/GAL.
Fall 2014 6
She has her own apartment, stable
employment and is attending nursing
school. Cici also dreams of helping the
less fortunate by using her nursing de-
gree and giving back to the community.
The large audience was welcomed by
co-chairs, Dan Dolan and Luke Slawek,
who both talked about the growing need
for support of these children in our com-
munity.
Gloria Bunce spoke about the chal-
lenges that face our CASA volunteers
and the staggering number of abuse and
neglect cases in CASA Kane County.
When talking about the initial move-
ment in forming CASA, she spoke about
how a specially trained volunteer makes
all the difference.
Super Heroes Breakfast Continued From Page 1...
The audience chuckled at Luke
Slawek’s closing remarks about how
CASA “doesn’t run on hugs and rain-
bows” and any support they could pro-
vide by volunteering, donating or con-
necting to CASA would be greatly
appreciated.
Another bench was purchased in
memory of the Honorable Gene Not-
tolini, a Judge who touched many
lives and was a strong supporter of
CASA Kane County.
Chief Judge Judy Brawka led a
beautiful dedication ceremony for the
bench purchased by members of the
Kane County Judiciary and friends of
the family.
Both benches sit in CASA Kane
County’s Grow a Healthy Child Gar-
den at the entrance of the historic
courthouse in Geneva.
The garden proceeds are added to
Gail and Paul Dart recently pur-
chased a bench in honor of her mother
who was a Chicago Public School
teacher for 30 years. As a resident of
Geneva, Gail was simply biking by the
courthouse and stumbled upon CASA’s
Grow a Healthy Child Garden and it
peaked her interest. She thought it
would be the perfect spot to memorial-
ize her mother.
“My mother loved children and
would have loved this spot for the
bench. It was something I wanted to do
in memory of all her work with kids.”
New Garden Benches In Memory of Loved Ones
Mike Frasier Board Chair, Gloria Bunce
Executive Director and Guest Mary Weibler
CiCi, Gloria, Candy Miller, and Mary Slawek
Chief Judge Judith M. Brawka
Gail & Paul Dart sitting on their honorary bench.
CASA Kane County’s endowment
fund that will help ensure we have
the ongoing financial resources
needed to continue serving the most
vulnerable youth in our community.
For more information, please
contact Vicki Shaw at
630-444-3100 or
7 The Voice www.casakanecounty.org
Honorary Chair Gary Hans-
berger and Committee Co-Chairs,
Kevin O’Donnell and Carl
Schoedel invite you to reserve your
spot for next year early, as the
event sells out fast!
Please save the date
August 24, 2015 for next year’s event!
Contact Lori Hewitt at
630-444-3107 or
to reserve your spot now!
Golf Outing...continued from page 1
Golfers played at St. Charles and
Royal Fox Country Clubs and ended
the evening with a dinner and inspira-
tional video from one of our own
CASA children.
Find Your Place
Make a Difference Every year around this time, we are asked about giving options for CASA
Kane County. As a friend of CASA, you have the unique opportunity to help a
child have a holiday season filled with hope and bright beginnings for the New
Year.
Ways to support our program: Collect new suitcases or gift cards for children in foster care
Attend a CASA event - the Gala or the Golf Outing
Inquire if your company has a matching gift program
Make a donation
(It costs CASA Kane County $2,000 annually to serve one child)
Host a Fundraiser or Sell Raffle Tickets
If you would like to
Find Your Place and
Make a Difference for
CASA Kane County, please
contact us at 630-232-4484
or visit our website at
www.casakanecounty.org
CASA Kane County Fox Valley KIDS Marathon
Thank You to Our 2014 Community Partners!
Fox Valley Marathon City of St. Charles Batavia Women’s Club Jeans and a Cute Top Chubb Insurance Villa Verone Wildwood Jane Pabon The Party Kitchen Cocoon, Ltd Potbelly Firehouse Pizza & Grill Francesca’s by the River Blue Goose Market Presence St. Joseph Hospital Provena St. Joseph Hospital Old Towne Pub Liquor ‘n Wine JP Jewelers
CASA Kane County Fox Valley KIDS Marathon
CASA Kane County is a nonprofit, volunteer organization
that advocates for the best interests of abused and
neglected children within the Juvenile Court system.
Non-Profit Org
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit #689
St. Charles, IL
100 S. Third Street, Suite 460 Geneva, IL 60134
P: 630-232-4484 F: 630-232-4562 www.casakanecounty.org
Interested in Learning More About Becoming a
CASA Volunteer?
Join us at one of our General Information Meetings!
CASA Kane County Office, 100 S. Third St Geneva:
Mondays, December 1, 8 and 15
January 5 and 12 11:00 a.m. – Noon
Wednesdays, December 3, 10 and 17
January 7 and 14
1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Thursdays, December 11 and 18
January 8 and 15
9:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Fridays, December 12 and 19
January 9 and 16
11:00 a.m. – Noon
Graham’s 318, 318 Third St Geneva:
Tuesdays, December 16
January 6 and 20
6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Please contact Deb McQuaid at 630-444-3110 or
[email protected] for more information!
Save the Dates
in 2014-2015!
Breakfast with Santa
Saturday, December 13, 2014
Children’s Champion Celebration
Black & White Diamond Ball Saturday, March 7, 2015
Contact Lori Hewitt at
630-444-3107 or [email protected]
For More Information!
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