La Salle County CASA swears in 2 new volunteers, executive director

La Salle County Court Appointed Special Advocates announced the swearing-in of two new volunteers, Riley Kozak and Laura Nash and of the new Executive Director Sally M Van Cura.

The ceremony took place at the La Salle County Courthouse and was presided over by 13th Judicial District Judge Cynthia Raccuglia. These community volunteers have committed to serving abused and neglected children in La Salle County’s juvenile court system. This event also marks the ongoing training for Van Cura, the newly appointed executive director, whose leadership, along with the support of the board of directors, will further CASA’s mission of ensuring every child finds a safe, permanent home.

“I joined CASA to make a difference in a child’s life,” Nash said. “Children truly are our future, and every child deserves support and help when they need it most. My hope is to positively impact at least one child’s life, setting them on a path towards a brighter adulthood.”

La Salle County CASA is a nonprofit organization that recruits and trains volunteers to advocate for the best interests of children involved in the court system. Volunteers do not need to have legal or social work experience – just a commitment to making a difference in a child’s life.

“Our volunteers give children in crisis a voice,” Van Cura said. “They gather crucial information and ensure the court has everything needed to as they make their informed decisions that can change a child’s life. Our goal is always family reunification when possible, but above all, the child’s safety and well-being come first.”

The newly sworn-in volunteers completed CASA’s 30-hour pre-service training, led by Advocacy Coordinator Bobbi Jo Mayszak. The training covers child development, the effects of trauma and court report preparation. Following their swearing-in, each volunteer is assigned a case and work directly with the child as they gather information from their families, teachers, foster parents and other professionals to advocate for the child’s best interests.

“As someone who understands the challenges firsthand, having been a foster mother so many years ago, I am driven to integrate my heart and passions into this role,” Van Cura said. “Combining my administrative skills as an executive director with my personal experience and continuing developing the skills needed for our court systems. As together with our staff, board, volunteers and our community, I am committed to ensuring we provide support for the children we serve.”

La Salle County CASA continues to seek volunteers to support children involved in the welfare system because of abuse or neglect. For more information on how to get involved, visit lasallecountycasa.org/ or contact Sally M. Van Cura at lasallecasa@att.net.