CASA Volunteers Get Out in the Rain

2020 started off rainy for Central Georgia. In Macon, this winter season was the second rainiest in history, according to data released from the National Weather Service. Unsurprisingly, our annual volunteer appreciation dinner fell on one of the rainy days. Our Executive Director, Susanna Patterson, reflected on how CASA volunteers are not afraid to get out in the rain.

“I was watching the rain earlier today and started to worry about people not coming this evening because of the rain. I was thinking about how getting out in the rain is such a pain – with umbrellas, wet shoes, wet hems, etc. It’s a mess. And it’s so comfortable to be a home. Snuggled up with a good book or a good show on tv. With pets and children (or children who act like pets) or with significant others. It’s just so much easier not to go out when it’s raining.

Then it struck me – I don’t need to be worried because you all get out in the rain ALL THE TIME. It’s fundamental to what you do as CASAs. Getting involved in the foster care system is messy and inconvenient. Visiting children after work and on weekends means time that you are not at home, with your family, or books, or shows. And yet you show up. You volunteer your time to get involved in the inconvenient truths of the lives of other people. And you don’t just do it here in Macon, or Byron, or Roberta, or Ft. Valley. You do it all over the state. You VOLUNTARILY drive to Atlanta. To Rome. To Columbus. To August. To Valdosta. To Brunswick. And every small town and hamlet in between. And you do this in the rain, in the heat, in the cold (for Georgia).

And you don’t just drive and smile at children who have experienced terrible things. You SHOW UP for those children in tremendous ways. You spend hours of your time talking to their teacher, doctors, therapists, family members, etc. You spend more hours of your time drafting incredibly thorough reports every month. Then you spend even more of your time in meetings, in panel reviews, and in court speaking up for what is in the best interest of the children you serve. This is not convenient or easy. Are there other things that you could do with you time? YES. Are there other causes you could support with your time? YES. But you CHOOSE to do this incredibly important work that is so foundational to so many other social issues. You CHOOSE inconvenience so that these children have a hope and a future.”

Thank you to our CASA volunteers for all you do to change a child’s story!