Board members of CASA of McKean County are inviting the public to their annual meeting on Jan. 30, when they will provide an update on the organization, nominate new members, and recognize volunteers and donors.

The event will begin with a complimentary breakfast buffet at 7:45 a.m. followed by the meeting at 8 a.m. at the Bradford Club. At the meeting, Kristen Tim, executive director of CASA of McKean County, will report on the year’s accomplishments for the program.

“Members of our board of directors will speak to the community about the mission and vision of CASA of McKean County,” Tim said.

Board members are Robert Esch, Matt Splain, Ginny Hauser, Chris Forbes, Patsy Arrowsmith, Gary Buchsen, Vicky Campogiani, Pat Frantz Cercone, Barbara Cummings, Katy Pude, Brent Raabe, Christy Sullivan, Stacy Wallace, and Jim Wiseman.

Also at the meeting, active CASA volunteers and those who served during 2017 will be recognized: Lisa Zumstein, Vickie Baker, Valorie Coast, Amber Davenport, Karen Cassin, Mary Ann Roney, Tate Slaven, Ashley Hatch, Barb Carney, Julie Newman, Carol Newman, Darla Oaks, Kimberly Pollock and Carol Ryan, all of Bradford; Bob Miller of Custer City; Becki Ivancic and Bill Reese, both of Lewis Run; Carrie Russell of Smethport; Rebecca Boorum, Karen Cochran and Jim Young, all of Port Allegany; Whitney Thomas and Jennifer Tanner, both of Smethport; Lisa Leschner and Annie Wolfe, both of Mount Jewett; Amy Jordan of Rixford; and Estelle Fuhrer of Wellsville, N.Y.

The CASA program was established in McKean County in 2014 and connects trained volunteer community members with children who have been abused and neglected and need someone to advocate for their best interests in the court system.  Since children in placement often have many human service and child welfare professionals involved in their lives, having a CASA volunteer who focuses only on them gives them much-needed consistency and advocacy.

Since 2014, 23 volunteers have served 44 children, 11 of which have been successfully placed in permanent homes.

Those planning to attend the annual meeting are asked to RSVP by Jan. 22 to Kristen Tim by phone at 568-2170 or 568-2171, or email atcasa@mckeancounty.pa.org.