CASA of Wyoming Valley holds swearing-in ceremony for 10 new advocates

WILKES-BARRE — Mary Kay Pivovarnik, CASA executive director, on Friday said a volunteer court appointed special advocate is often the one constant a child has through the life of their case.

“They can be the voice of the child, or help the child find their own voice,” Pivovarnik said during a swearing-in ceremony for new CASA advocates. “They have ability to see the case as a whole and learn about the child, the family and the community in the process.”

The Honorable Judge Jennifer L. Rogers presided over the swearing in ceremony, where the volunteer CASA advocates took an oath to represent the best interest of children who are in the dependency court system in Luzerne County. The ceremony was held in the Bernard C. Brominski Building, where Family Court is located.

Pivovarnik said a CASA advocate is a person who can build resiliency in a child who suffered trauma.

“And this resiliency will help the child cope throughout their lives,” Pivovarnik said. “CASA advocates perform everyday miracles for these children. Sometimes advocacy changes their education or medical status — sometimes advocacy helps a child find trust in an adult again. Everyday I ask myself where these children would be without their advocates.”

While the organization is growing in numbers and impact, the need for advocates remains. Pivovarnik said there are 400 children between Luzerne and Wyoming County who need an advocate.

“Being a CASA advocate is one of the most robust volunteer opportunities and one of the most life changing for children,” Pivovarnik said. “Children who have had CASA advocates are less likely to re-enter the dependency court system and achieve permanency through either reunification or adoption faster than children who have not had a CASA advocate.”

The eight individuals from Luzerne County — Mary DeSpirito, Edwin Gonzalez, Danielle Huertas, Madison Rodriguez, Stefany Serrano-Perez, Angela Sindaco and two who wished to remain anonymous — completed 30 hours of training over a 9-week period.

Two advocates who will serve in Wyoming County — Carly Okoth and Nancy Thaler — were sworn in by the Honorable Judge Russell D.Shurtleff on May 14.

During their training, the CASA advocates learned about a variety of topics that are the root causes of child abuse and neglect which lead to children and family involvement in the dependency court system.

Pivovarnik said the training has prepared them to advocate for the best interest of a child or sibling group whom they will be assigned.

Pivovarnik and Judge Rogers each talked about how children in the CASA program can sometimes feel invisible as they often move from foster home to foster home and rarely know the people who are acting on their behalf. They said many of the children lose their personal possessions that they have had for many years.

“Don’t give up on them,” Judge Rogers told the CASA advocates. “And don’t give up on yourself.”

Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski and Rep. Brenda Pugh attended the ceremony and praised the program for its compassionate work for children.

The CASA program is accepting applicants for volunteers for the Fall training class. Call the CASA office at 570-855-2247, or visit — luzernecasa.org — to learn about becoming a volunteer.

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