Judy Pylar, left, Executive Director of CASA CAN of Great Falls, and Lisa Goff, program director of CASA CAN of Great Falls display certificates of completion from the NCASA Leadership Institute held Oct. 25-27 in Albuquerque. Cherie LeBlanc of Eastern Montana CASA/GAL also attended
Three CASA directors attend
NCASA Leadership Training
Three CASA directors came back to Montana inspired and revived after the NCASA Leadership Training Conference in Albuquerque Oct. 25-27.
"The leadership conference was refreshing since it allowed me to see where I was in my life," said Cherie LeBlanc, executive director of Eastern Montana CASA/GAL. "I came back with a new outlook in my role as Executive Director and a plan to make changes with the way I am leading my organization."
The National CASA Association Leadership Institute is designed to support leadership development throughout the national CASA/GAL network, CASA CAN Executive Director Judy Pylar explained. "For three days, the 50 participants worked together to develop leadership skills and explore personal style. We explored issues of change, management and cross cultural communication in ways that were new and exciting."
The three women are part of a strong group of about 20 CASA directors in Montana who recruit, train and mentor CASA volunteers in Montana. More than 350 volunteers are advocating for 1,000 children who are in the court system through no fault of their own. These children are often living in foster homes or group homes. District Court Judges appoint CASA volunteers to investigate the situation and make a recommendation for the best interest of the child.
Currently, 17 CASA programs are advocating for children in 41 counties of Montana. The newest county is Powell County, which will be served by the Anaconda CASA/GAL program in Deer Llodge County. Anaconda plans to launch a recruitment and training drive in January.
Training of new volunteers is currently underway in Bozeman and Kalispell and will begin Nov. 14 in Livingston. CASA CAN of Great Falls graduated nine volunteers in a ceremony Nov. 3 at the court house (see volunteer photo)
December Concert in Colstrip
Eastern Montana CASA/GAL presents the Abbey Road Band of Rapid City, S.D. in live tribute to the Beatles on Dec. 3 in Colstrip. The concert begins at 7 p.m. at the Moose Lodge in Colstrip . Tickets are $20 each or two for $35. The women of the Moose will serve dinner from 5 to 8 p.m. This event is an emergency fund raising event to help pull the program through until the first quarter of 2006. Increased gas prices and more travel to for court appearances and visiting children resulted in a shortfall for the program.
Local programs operate on a combination of local fundraising, some state funding and other grants and donations. In the current fiscal year, the 17 programs received about 20 percent of their funding from the state court system and about 20 percent from NCASA grant funding. The one-time grant funding is intended for start up, expansion and sustainability. It must be replaced by other funds. Local county support accounted for an average of 7 percent of the budgets.
Florida Judge Speaks in Livingston
The Honorable David Monaco, an appellant court judge from the 5th district in Florida, spoke to local lawyers, CASA volunteers, board members, and county attorneys on Nov. 1. He spoke about his perceptions from the bench on children's right's and the CASA'S role. A reception followed at the home of board member Rev. David Gunderson.
