A local auction will take place at the Sullivan fairgrounds on July 10 for the Mid-Ozark CASA organization serving Crawford County. CASA is looking for any donations to sell at the auction that might help raise funds for this important organization.
In particular, the group is looking for new or lightly-used furniture, tools, household items, lawn mowers, and other items in good working order that would help raise funds. Individuals interested in donating items can call 573-677-2022.
Community donations may also be brought to the First State Community Bank (FSCB) at #3 E. Springfield Road in Sullivan, beginning May 15. Anyone wishing to donate items can check the items in at the lobby from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. until noon on Saturdays. The items will then be taken to a trailer on site and stored until the auction.
On July 10, the CASA auction will begin at 9 a.m., with entertainment at the fairgrounds. Coffee and breakfast rolls will also be available, so stop by and have your morning coffee complete with entertainment. The auction begins at 10 a.m. with Colonel Megan Berti, who is donating her auctioneering services. A barbecue lunch will be ready after 11 a.m. as well as some homemade pies.
Businesses and individuals are also encouraged to donate other types of items.  One item already donated is a float trip for eight located at Saranac Springs. The CASA organization also has a volunteer willing to put baskets together. They are looking for items that can be included in these baskets.
Items will be accepted by the Mid-Ozark CASA organization by e-mailing casacuba@fidnet.com or calling 573-677-2022.  You can also contact Janet Jones, director of Mid-Ozark CASA, with any questions at 573-259-4433.
CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) are volunteers from the community.  They are trained to speak up for the best interest of abused and neglected children in the court system.
A judge appoints the volunteers to review records, research information, and talk to everyone involved in the child’s case, making sure the child remains safe until a permanent resolution is reached.
No special experience is required from these volunteers; they just must have a willingness to serve in this role. To become a volunteer, it takes a commitment to children, objectivity, responsibility and the communication skills necessary to talk with different kinds of people wrestling with various types of problems.
It only takes about 10-15 hours per month to become involved in this program. CASA volunteers are assigned generally to one case at a time. They are able to give the case the attention needed, in a situation where a Social Service worker with 30-40 cases often cannot.
Information provided  by CASA volunteers help judges make more informed decisions on the best possible future for these children. CASA helps those decisions come about in a more timely manner, potentially saving the public millions of dollars.
Currently, there are 900 CASA programs in the United States with 50,000 volunteers serving over 180,000 children. Missouri alone has 20 programs with 1,022 volunteers serving 2,642 children.
David Soukup, a judge and founder of CASA, states, “As a judge, I had to make tough decisions. I had to decide whether to take a child from the only home he’s ever known, or leave him someplace where he might possibly be abused.  I needed someone who could tell me what was best for the child -from the child’s point of view.  That’s what CASA does.”
For more information on this important organization or ways to help with the fundraising auction, please contact CASA at 573-677-2022 or e-mail casacuba@fidnet.com.