Local group to mark 10th anniversary

WELLSBURG - A local group formed to help children involved in child abuse and neglect cases in Brooke and Hancock counties will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a special event Wednesday.

A Child's Place Court-Appointed Special Advocate program will hold an open house and fundraiser from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at its office at 720 Charles St. in Wellsburg.

There will be refreshments, including a chocolate fountain; drawings for prizes; and demonstrations of various beauty products by Kim Donnelly, a representative of BeautiControl, said Rhonda Stubbs, the group's executive director.

The occasion also will give newcomers a chance to learn more about A Child's Place CASA, which trains volunteers to represent the interests of children whose parents have been charged with child abuse or neglect.

Stubbs said while courts may order that such children be removed from their homes, they also often call for the parents to undergo various types of counseling in an effort to keep families together, with the children's safety an overriding factor.

Volunteers with A Child's Place CASA regularly visit the families at their homes to determine if the parents are following the court's orders and the environment is safe. They deliver written reports on their findings to a judge who must determine what's best for the children.

The task requires objectivity, Stubbs said, and isn't suited for those who find it difficult not to pass judgment on the parents.

Stubbs said child abuse and neglect tend to be carried on from generation to generation, as parents with poor coping skills take out their frustrations on their children. Without a positive role model, the children may repeat the same behavior when they grow up and have their own children, she said.

Stubbs said 18 volunteers served 81 children last year and the program has served 254 children since February 2000.

Abuse and neglect cases are kept confidential by the courts, allowing families to undergo counseling without public scrutiny, but it can give the impression that child abuse and neglect are rare in this area, Stubbs said.

But she said since the program was begun, "There hasn't been a single city in Brooke and Hancock counties we haven't been to."

Stubbs added child abuse and neglect aren't limited to low-income families, which is a common misconception.

Each volunteer must undergo a background check and interview and is administered an oath of office, in which he or she vows to keep the cases confidential. Volunteers also take a 40-hour training course.

First Judicial Circuit Court Judge Martin J. Gaughan recently administered oaths to three new volunteers: Carolyn Mirabella, Danielle Radcliffe and Vanessa Bouchet.

A Child's Place CASA is funded with federal Victims of Crime Acts funds, but the funds are limited and not guaranteed from year to year, so the group has depended on grants, sponsors and various fundraisers, Stubbs said.

A variety of businesses, organizations and individuals have been named to the group's Angel Roll for pledging to make a specific monetary contribution for each of five years and have raised more than $46,000 over the years.

In addition to various special events, A Child's Place CASA also has placed coin jars in several area businesses. Overseen by volunteer Gary Riggs, the jars have netted $611 since August.

Stubbs said there are many ways to help A Child's Place CASA, including donating used ink cartridges that can be redeemed for cash, office supplies used by the group or items for goody bags given to the children. Volunteers also can assist at the office or with fundraisers as a member of the CASA Auxiliary.

Those interested in helping may call (304) 737-4444 for information.

(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com)