May 26, 2011 - Three local people recently completed thirty hours of training in order to become volunteer advocates for abused and neglected children in the custody of the state. The training was completed with the Honorable Judge Lauri Blake administering an oath to the new CASA volunteers in the 336th District Court. New child advocates include Lillian Vajda Geron and Jeremy Sweet from Savoy and Stella Eaches from Dodd City.

Each of the volunteers completed an intensive training class which has prepared them to advocate for children in the foster care system. CASA, which stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates, is appointed by the district judge to be the Guardian ad Litem for each child who has been removed from their home because of abuse or neglect. In that role, the CASA volunteers will investigate the child's situation and advocate for the child's best interest in court hearings and other settings. In the agency's most recent fiscal year, CASA volunteers contributed 2,075 hours and drove more than 26,000 miles in their work on behalf of 63 children. CASA is a program of the Fannin County Children's Center. For more information, call (903) 583-4339 or visit www.fanninccc.org.

New CASA Volunteers with Judge Laurie Blake - (from left) Lillian Vajda Geron, Jeremy Sweet, Judge Blake, Stella Eaches.