Volunteers Give Voice To Children

An event in Pocatello Friday honored volunteers who work to make sure there are no forgotten children.

Two-hundred-fifty-three life size cutouts stood in the lawn of the Juvenile Court in Pocatello. Each one represented a child in the middle of a court case.

The children in these images hold sings, expressing their thoughts about the Court Appointed Special Advocate System.

“These little guys don’t have anybody to represent them. The parents have a lawyer, maybe the mom has a lawyer or the father has a lawyer. These children have nobody, so we come in. We’re their voice,? District 6 CASA Executive Director Cori Hadley said.

CASA volunteers, also called Guardians Ad Litem, are appointed by the court to speak for the children in the court system.

At the No Forgotten Children event retired teacher Susan Burstedt was named the volunteer of the year.

“Some of these kids have come from places where maybe the families aren’t very functional and they need our help, and I’m just very fortunate that I have this opportunity to help them,? Burstedt said.

Hadley said each year more CASA volunteers are needed.

“We feel like every child needs to have a CASA and have his voice heard and have us really fight for what’s best for the child,? Hadley said.

But it isn’t an easy thing to do.

“I can’t say it’s fun, but it’s rewarding,? Burstedt said.

Hadley said these volunteers have a huge impact on children’s lives.

“If you help one then you can help the whole family down the road. If you save one child you can save a lot of children down the road. So that is why it is so important to me and why I feel so strongly about this program,? Hadley said.

Five-hundred volunteers throughout the state help run the CASA program.