We live in a community surrounded by awesome beauty, between the lakes and the mountains and the community that we live in. This place is hard to beat.

And yet, on a daily basis there are children in our own back yard that are being abused/neglected/or abandoned by parents and caregivers who are supposed to love and nurture them so they can grow into healthy productive people. We all have a stake in what these children become.

If you consider that they are tomorrows workforce, your own children’s future partners, people who are going to continue to make north Idaho a place that people are drawn to not only because it is beautiful, but because it is a great place to grow up and raise a family. It is our responsibility to meet the needs of the children.

The CASA program has been in the 1st Judicial District for 15 years, we know that we will receive over one hundred referrals by the end of year. Those children will range in age from birth to 17 and we know the majority are younger than 12. There is a national trend that the victims we represent are less than 2 years old. We cannot let these kids down.

CASA provides a voice for all victims, especially the younger ones, within the court system. Our referrals always come from child protective services, our volunteers independently investigate the situation by interviewing anyone involved, visit the children and the homes where they live or will live, then submit their written recommendations to the judge and may be asked to testify on behalf of the child.

All of our children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews are growing up with, going to school with, and working with children or adults that may have come from terrible backgrounds, so part of our obligation is to have compassion for those individuals that are currently experiencing abuse or neglect or are recovering from abuse and neglect.

We all have an investment that we can commit to today to do everything we can individually and as parents, groups we belong to, people that we work with and get involved in addressing the needs of these kids. I hope that you will find a way, whether it is to volunteer as a CASA, to make a donation of time or money to CASA, or any service in the community that directly impacts the lives of these kids and their families.

We all need to work together in changing a life of hurt into hope, and one day the children will thank us.