TENNESSEE News

CASA, the Court Appointed Special Advocate service that has been helping
children in family and court matters for 10 years, is leaving the nest.
For the first decade, it operated under the umbrella of the Center for
Family Development on the square, one of many programs there designed to
help children.
But no more.
As of July 1, exactly 10 years to the day after it was formed, CASA will
be in its own offices, under its own governance.
"It's not a divorce," said Denise Hobbs-Coker, the executive director of
CFD and its cofounder, along with Lynne Farrar. "It's a graduation!"
"It's an idea that's been brewing in me for some time now," said Farrar,
who has been the CASA director since its inception and is now its
co-executive director. "CASA needs its own advisory board to raise
funds. Across the country, 80 percent of the CASA agencies are
independent and only 20 percent are under someone else's umbrella.
"When I called the national office and suggested this, they said, 'Oh,
yeah. Okay.' Apparently, it happens a lot," said Farrar.
CASA services offer each child his own advocate -- a volunteer trained
to observe, assist and speak up for that child. CASA of The Center for
Family Development serves children who have come to the attention of the
juvenile court for abuse or neglect issues.
"Any time a child is abused or neglected and is reported to DCS
(Department of Children's Services), whether the child is removed from
the home or returned to his family, all of that is in juvenile court,"
said Farrar in a previous interview. "The state appoints a CASA
volunteer."
One primary difference between the volunteer and a state caseworker is
that a CASA advocate can only have one or two cases at a time, allowing
him or her to focus completely on those children. Now with separate
offices and a separate board, the volunteers and staff will be able to
concentrate that focus even more -- as well as free up some space for
the already overcrowded CFD.
CASA serves both Bedford and Coffee counties, and now, under its new
name of CASA Works Inc., those counties will be served even better. For
the first time, there will be an office in Manchester, in the old
building where the late Circuit Court Judge John Rollins worked. His
widow, Linda, has long been a proponent and now serves on the Coffee
branch of the CASA board. When she heard they needed workspace in
Manchester, she was quick to suggest the judge's old quarters, said
Farrar.
The location of the new Shelbyville office hasn't been finalized yet,
but there will be an open house and grand opening when it is ready, she
added.
The Manchester site will be the headquarters now, and having to commute
every day doesn't bother Farrar at all.
"She's over there three or four times a week anyway," said Hobbs-Coker.
The members of the CASA Works board are: Beth Allen, Bryan Elliott,
Fredia Lusk, Allen Pitner and Ellen Treadway of Bedford County and Helen
DeBellis, Ray Knowis, Fran Marcum, Linda Rollins and Rebecca
Taylor-Sturdivant of Coffee County.
Farrar has two paid staff working with her, Kristin Conley in Bedford
County and Wanda Strayhorn in Coffee, but the bulk of the work is done
by volunteers, something CASA is always needing.
Well, that, and money.
Leaving the umbrella of the Center isn't financially complicated -- or
dangerous -- as one might think. Although the agency will have to pay
rent on its own offices now, it is starting off with all of its
equipment intact.
"Each program here has its own equipment, its own accounting," said
Hobbs-Coker.
She said she is thrilled to see CASA thrive to the point of seeking
independence.
"CASA is very focused on one thing," said Hobbs-Coker. "Here at the
center, we have a wide array of services -- it's like a patchwork quilt.
CASA has always been a part of that, but at the same time, very
self-contained."
"We're all very excited about it," said Farrar. "It's cool to have an
exciting new nonprofit organization -- with a 10-year track history!"
And a good one, at that. The Bedford-Coffee CASA has received numerous
awards and grants based on its ability to provide advocacy for its
clients. The program is partially funded under an agreement with the
Tennessee Commission on Children & Youth, Baptist Healing Trust,
Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, the Tennessee Bar Foundation,
and the United Way.
But grant programs have changed in recent years, so that even when an
organization earns the grant, they have to spend their own money first,
then submit the receipts and be reimbursed.
"And sometimes they run a little late with the check," said Hobbs-Coker.
There will be a fundraiser for CASA at noon on June 8 at the Fly
Cultural Arts Center. The meal will be free and a special presentation
will be made.
"We're hoping to tug on some heartstrings and get some donations," said
Farrar. "Our goal is to raise $20,000 by July 1."
For more information
The CASA Works website is still under construction, but it can be found
at www.casaworks.org. You can
also contact Executive Director Lynne Farrar at (931) 580-7377.

Connie Black sat in the hot Saturday sun and listened as Donita
Cavallero, victim's rights coordinator for the District Attorney's Office,
read the names of the 55 children murdered in Montgomery County
over the past few decades.
When Black's daughter, 16-year-old Michelle Mace's name was read, she
exhaled. Michelle was murdered while working at the Baskin-Robbins
restaurant in 1997, by death row inmate Paul Dennis Reid. She would've
been 30 years old this year.Mace was among several community leaders and families
who gathered at 2 p.m. Saturday at the dedication of the Children's MemorialGarden.
The Garden is at the Swan Lake Sports Complex next to the
children's playground.The dedication ceremony included presentations by
County Mayor Carolyn Bowers, District Attorney John Carney and Jaycees
Director Tony Lavigne.Dozens of blue balloons with the names of the victims
tied to the balloon strings were released at the end of the
ceremony."It's an awesome thing," Black said. "The biggest
fear for any parent is that people will forget their child. This is in
concrete and that voice will be heard forever. It's awesome for the
community to pay tribute to kids that were murdered."The names of the children
are etched in a marble foundation, with a symbolic guardian child
perched on it. The garden is complete with a sidewalk leading to it,
marble benches and colorful flowers. "This garden is to honor and
remember children of Montgomery County who have been murdered or
lost their lives due to violence," JohnCarney said. "We're hoping
it's a place of comfort and peace. I've never lost a child but we
experience it with our victim's families. It leaves them with
loneliness and no place to turn. Hopefully, this will be a place
they can go and meditate."The Children's Memorial Garden has been the
vision of many people, including Carney, Cavallero and Jaycee
members for almost seven years."It's a memorial," Tavie Mangrum,
former Jaycee member said. "It's such a huge loss to lose a child
and this is a place that's not like the cemetery. This is a happy
thought in remembrance and celebration of life."In 2003, Carney
attended a memorial in Nashville in honor of victims who had been
murdered by Reid. Black was with him. "John Carney thought it was so beautiful
he wanted it in Clarksville," Black said.The garden at
Centennial Park inspired Carney to bring a similar type of
garden to Clarksville. "I thought it would be a wonderful project here,"
Carney said. "We tried to find a group that would direct it so we
started with the Jaycees."Lavigne said that, over the past seven years much has
been done to create this quiet place of serenity for families.President Gary Silvey
passed away, nearing the initiation of the project, but a few people
dedicated to providing this garden for the community continued to push
for it.Money was raised through community softball tournament fundraisers, bake sales and
donations were also given.In June 2004, a groundbreaking ceremony was
held and victims' families were present for the ceremony.The
dedication ceremony was scheduled for April 24, but the flood of
2010 became another hurdle, when it rained out the ceremony."I'm
thankful today is here and we are thankful for the support from the
DistrictAttorney's Office and allowing us to give back to the
community," Lavigne said.Butterflies are adorned on the large engraved boulder
with the park's name on it. Carney said it represents a resurrection
of life after death and an emergence from death into a free
existence."I think it's going to be a great statement to the community,"
Carney said. "The loved ones of these children will know they have
not been forgotten. Even though it's taken awhile to get done
it's in their memory and that memory will last forever. We are letting
the community know they were here."