Henrico County CASA welcomes 6 new volunteers

Henrico County Court Appointed Special Advocates welcomed six new CASA volunteers during a swearing-in ceremony Oct. 28.

The volunteers will advocate for children who are before the court as the result of allegations of abuse or neglect. Chief Judge of the Henrico Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Margaret W. Deglau administered the CASA Volunteer Oath of Appointment, in which the volunteers pledged that they are willing and ready to be advocates for Henrico’s most vulnerable children.

Deglau distributed certificates and congratulated the new advocates on accepting the oath – the culmination of 38 hours of training during the previous month. Deglau emphasized the deep commitment of CASA volunteers and enjoined the new appointees to maintain the very high standards for CASA reports that the court has come to rely upon and expect.

You are the eyes and ears of the court,” she said, explaining that CASA’s dedication results in unbiased, factual, and thorough reports that provide information about the circumstances of children and their families, which is vital to helping the court make decisions in the best interests of the children.

The new volunteers are: Marcus Carpenter, Kayla Dowling, Elyse Hawthorne, Nicole Howell, Jane Whitmore, and Chase Whittaker.

Last year, 113 volunteers advocated for 401 children in the Henrico Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. Henrico CASA’s next training begins on Feb. 6; learn more and download an application at http://www.henricocasa.org.