Attendees at the CASA Red Shoe Gala in Dunmore included, from left: Joan Peterson, executive director of CASA of Lackawanna County with CASA volunteer Maritza Acevado. 
Dunmorean writer Steve Svetovich is shown in attendance at the recent CASA Red Shoe Gala. 
Volunteers and Directors are shown at the CASA Red Shoe Gala held last month at La Buona Vita in Dunmore. 
Shown with William Brown, center, honored as CASA Volunteer of the Year, at the recent CASA Red Shoes Gala are Lisa Murphy, CASA board chairman, at left, and Joan Peterson, at right, executive director of CASA of Lackawanna County.
By Steve Svetovich
The Casa Red Shoe Gala was held at La Buona Vita, Dunmore, this past October 10.
Stacy Lange, an Emmy-nominated anchor and investigative reporter for WNEP News, served as mistress of ceremonies for the event.
A delicious buffet dinner and dessert was served. There was dancing with EJ the DJ and a wide assortment of basket raffles at the Red Shoe affair. William Brown II was honored as CASA Volunteer of the Year.
And all the ladies at the Dunmore event wore red shoes. Mary Pidich, a CASA volunteer who attended the affair in Dunmore explained, “These shoes represent the ruby slippers the orphan Dorothy wore in The Wizard of Oz which helped her find her way. This is an analogy to the children who are served by CASA who need help in finding their way home.”
CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) of Lackawanna County has a mission to be an unwavering advocate for abused and/or neglected children. The mission is to provide these children with hope, unwavering support and genuine encouragement.
The mission is also to empower these children to cultivate resiliency while ensuring their voices resound loudly within the juvenile court system, guiding them towards safe, permanent and nurturing homes.
Studies show that a CASA volunteer is more likely to secure needed services for a child in a timely manner and and to ensure they are moved from placement to placement less frequently. A child is more likely to have their case reviewed regularly by the court and has a better chance of living in a safe, permanent home.
“Our kids, fosters, and orphans are all from Lackawanna County and are in the system,” said Mary Pidich, “A handful of us, primarily retirees, take the worst cases on in order to guard and help these kids.
“We are all educated and court-appointed. It takes a bit of overhead to maintain the CASA organization. The Red Shoe Gala is about finding organizational funds to help volunteers work with these children to find a permanent home.
“Children mistreated and dispirited can recover with the help of CASA and excel to become valuable members and leaders in society.”
As a CASA volunteer, an individual will speak up for the best interest of a child in court. CASA volunteers are appointed by a judge to recommend the best possible outcome for an abused or neglected child’s future.
Whether this means helping to make a connection with adoptive parents or safely reuniting the child with the parents or relatives, the ultimate goal of the CASA is to help ensure that every one of these kids can live in a safe, permanent home.
Once assigned to a case, the CASA volunteer reviews the child’s records and talks with everyone involved, including the child. The CASA then provides the judge with a factual, written report to help the court make a well informed decision about that child’s future.
During the life of a case, a CASA volunteer monitors the child’s situation to make sure he or she remains safe. CASA volunteers may be the only constant the child knows as she or he moves through the labyrinth of the child welfare system.
Joan W. Peterson, BSW, MPA, is director of CASA of Lackawanna County. She provided remarks at the event. Lisa Murphy and Elizabeth Warrick were the Red Shoe Gala co-chairs.
CASA is located at 846 Jefferson Ave., Scranton.
William Ridgeway Brown II is the CASA of Lackawanna County Volunteer of the Year. He was unanimously nominated by his fellow volunteers and a caseworker. He has been with CASA for two years and advocated for 11 children.
Over the past year, he visited two other states and took a small plane to Pittsburgh to visit his CASA children. He also volunteers at Outreach.
He served in the U.S. Naval Reserve and retired from the United States Air Force as a Major in 1994. He has a bachelor of science degfree in criminal justice and substance abuse counseling and an MPA.
CASA volunteers help children to find connections and build resilience. These dedicated volunteers advocate for each child in foster care to have a safe, permanent home.
CASA of Lackawanna County continues to advocate every day for Lackawanna County’s most vulnerable children. This year, 82 children had an advocate with someone’s support.
The event proceeds from the event in Dunmore helped to ensure that each abused and neglected child in Lackawanna County has the opportunity to have their own volunteer advocate.
To make a difference or become a volunteer, you can reach out to CASA at 570-903-5249.