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WILKES-BARRE — More Luzerne County residents have answered the call to help children in the county’s foster case system, with more than a dozen sworn in as Court Appointed Special Advocates on Monday.
CASA of Luzerne County’s goal is to link county children in foster care with a volunteer advocate, who seeks to be their rock in the legal process while also finding them a permanent home as quickly as possible.
And now, after a ceremony at the county’s Bernard J. Brominski Building, 14 more individuals will be able to help those children directly.
Monday’s brief ceremony opened with John Aciukewicz, CASA’s executive director, thanking the volunteer advocates for acknowledging the need children in the foster system have by deciding to become directly involved.
“You have chosen to be the change you wish to see in the community,” he said.
Christina Taylor, president of CASA’s board, echoed Aciukewicz’s thanks.
“Thank you for your commitment, your determination, your patience,” she said.
Taylor went on to say that the work the volunteer advocates do would certainly be difficult, but it’s vital.
“Congratulations, and welcome to Team CASA,” she said.
Luzerne County Judge Jennifer L. Rogers, who works very closely with CASA through her role in the family court system, also spoke, suggesting life is like a train, with cars being hooked on and taken off as new people come in and out of one’s life.
“I suggest to each of you that you are called to become a member of the car of the child who’s waiting for you,” Rogers said.
“Thank you in advance for the children that will benefit … from your big heart and your desire to do good,” she went on.
Michelle Kozich, a member of the class of volunteers who had just been sworn in, was invited to speak to the class. She told a story of striking up a conversation on a plane with an older woman.
The older woman told Kozich her son and his husband planned to become foster parents, which opened the opportunity for Kozich to talk about important parts of the foster system she’s learned about through her training.
“Hopefully I was able to make the first moment of impact,” Kozich said.
Other member’s of the most recent class include Samantha Comes, Elizabeth Cope, Diane Dreier, Jeff Dreier, Sharon Generotti, Maureen Harkins, Maryann Kane, Ned McGuire, Beatriz Rivera, Carol Robbins, Julie Schmidt, Daniel Spring and Pamela Urbanski.
