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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 6, 2011)
The INDEPENDENT, January 6, 2011 Join CASA and help children in court CASA for Kids, Inc. has formed to carry on the work of Court Appointed Special Advo- cates in Columbia County. CASAs (or Court Appointed Special Advocates) are trained volunteers appointed by a judge to advocate for the best interests of abused and neg- lected children in juvenile court. The main job of CASA volun- teers is to advocate for foster children to have a safe and lov- ing permanent home. “CASAs ensure that these children do not fall through the cracks,” not- ed CASA for Kids Executive Di- rector Kathryn Bourn. “And giv- en the budget cuts to social services, those cracks are be- coming chasms.” Meanwhile, child abuse is on the rise. In Columbia County, the rate of “founded” abuse and neglect reports increased 68 percent between 2007 and 2009. In Oregon, every child with a pending juvenile-dependency case is entitled to have a CASA volunteer. “Unfortunately, in Columbia County, we don’t have nearly enough volunteers to serve all the children,” Bourn said. CASA for Kids currently serves about 15 percent of chil- dren in the foster-care system. In order to serve all the chil- dren, CASA for Kids needs to train an additional 50 to 75 vol- unteers. Most CASA volunteers advocate for just one child or one sibling group. CASA for Kids will offer a new CASA training, starting February 24. Training topics include child abuse, substance abuse, do- mestic violence, cultural com- petency issues, speaking in court, role of DHS, poverty, and CASA guidelines. Volunteers receive 30 hours of new CASA training, write a sample court report, and observe experi- enced CASAs in court before getting assigned a case of their own. CASA volunteers come from all walks of life, ethnic groups and educational backgrounds. “What they have in common is tenacity and compassion for children,” Bourn said. Currently, 12 CASA volun- teers advocate for 37 children. With more than 260 new juve- nile dependency cases having been filed in Columbia County Circuit Court this year, that leaves 223 children without a CASA. Not all of those children wind up in foster care; some re- main in their family home while their parents or other family members work with the Depart- ment of Human Services. Ei- ther way, however, having a CASA volunteer to advocate for the child is extremely impor- tant. Studies have shown that children with a CASA spend less time “in the system.” They either return to their parents or are adopted more quickly than children who do not have CASAs. Children with CASAs also receive more services to assist them with their educa- tional, medical and psychologi- cal needs. When a CASA advo- cates for the child, the child tends to have more contact with extended family members too. CASA advocacy is a unique volunteer role. While juvenile case information is highly con- fidential, as parties to the case, CASAs receive child protection reports and medical, counsel- ing and school records. CASAs meet regularly with the chil- dren, their biological and foster parents, caseworkers, the child’s attorney, other family members, and community service providers. Once ap- pointed, CASAs go to court and participate in hearings and settlement negotiations at all phases of the case. They make their own report to the court Please CASA on page 8 VPD offers fraud information The Vernonia Police Depart- ment has provided contacts for people who have been the vic- tim of fraud, or who want more information on how to avoid be- coming a victim. Fraud is wrongful or criminal deception intended to result in financial or personal gain. For internet fraud, go to http://www/ic3.gov. For phone scams, call 888-195-8501 or Federal Trade 877-982-4357 or see http://www.phonebusters. com. For fake check frauds, in- formation is available at http: www.fakechecks.org. Other helpful websites are http://www.stopfraud.gov and http://www.ripoffreport.com. Joshua Exzavior Ellis the family home. Grandparents are Karen and Stephen Ellis, and Judy Cle- ment, all of Vernonia. Great-grandparents are Marion and Jeanette Grant of Vernonia and Loren Ellis of Scappoose. Welcome Additions Joshua Exzavior Ellis was born October 25, 2010, to Luke and Torie Ellis of Vernonia. He weighed 5 pounds and was 17- 7/8 inches long. He joined his brother, Joseph, and sister, Jordynn, at Mariolino’s Prime Rib $13. 99 F RIDAYS & S ATURDAYS Lunch Special! S OUP & G RILLED C HEESE W / SMALL D RINK OR C OFFEE $5. 00 721 Madison Ave.,Vernonia • 503-429-5018 Page 7 Senior Center News Vernonia Senior Center officers and board members for 2011 were elected at the membership meeting in December. Carl Holsey will serve another term as president; Sykes Mitchell and Bill James are vice-presidents, treasurer Pat Ray and secretary Sandy Welch were re-elected. Board members for the new year are Pauline Coffman, Dick Rosen, Susan Goodhope, Jack Harvey, George Gans, Larry Bernardi and Francine Lentz. It’s also time to renew your annual membership or to join for the first time. Vernonia area residents, age 50 and over, are eligible, and the $15.00 membership fee provides many important servic- es for our community. Free blood pressure checks are back on schedule, courtesy of Columbia County Public Health, on the 4th Wednesday of each month from 11 a.m. to noon. Now that the holidays are over, foot care is also back on the regular schedule of the second and fourth Fridays of each month. Call Marilyn Albro, R.N., at 503-429-0406 for an appointment. Foot care is $15.00. Lunch is served Monday through Friday at noon. A $4.00 dona- tion is suggested for those 60 and older, and $5.00 for those un- der 60. If you prefer lunch to go, for only $5.00 you can call ahead and place your order. If you enjoy bingo, you can also have fun at lunch time with free Bingo each Monday starting at 11:45 a.m. Breakfast for all ages is again available on Fridays at the Se- nior Center, from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m., at $3.50 per person. Maple bars are also made fresh daily for $1.00 each! If you want maple bars for a gathering of any kind, call 503-429-3912 a day or two ahead and place your order. Vernonia Senior Citizens Center: 446 Bridge Street Senior Information Assistance Rep: Rosie McCoy Hours: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Thrift Shop Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Phone: 503-429-3912 Master Gardener™ classes After twenty-one years of holding the Oregon State Uni- versity Master Gardener™ classes in St. Helens, and last year in Vernonia, this year’s classes will be held in Clatskanie. The class starts on Tuesday, March 8, and will meet every Tuesday through May 31, from 9:30 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. with a thirty minute break for lunch. Topics to be covered will in- clude vegetable gardening, in- sect identification, botany for gardeners, plant problem diag- nosis, growing fruits and berries, lawn management, weed identification and man- agement, pesticides safety, and plant propagation. Weekly instructors include ft Cra & s Art sses Cla Oregon State University teach- ing and Extension faculty, ex- perienced Master Gardeners and other professionals. Cost of the series will be $75.00. Students completing the class will be expected to pay back about 50 hours on community horticultural projects. Applications will be accept- ed through February 15. For more information or to get the application packet, contact the OSU Extension Office by call- ing 503 397-3462, emailing ei- ther Chip Bubl (chip.bubl@ore- gonstate. edu) or Vicki Krenz at (vicki.krenz@oregonstate. edu), or by stopping by the of- fice at 505 N. Columbia River Hwy. in St. Helens. Vernonia Florist 75% Ho OFF Dec me ore! Plants ~ Antiques ~ balloons ~ Handmade Crafts Stuffed Toys ~ Greeting Cards & More OPEN Mon-Sat 10-6 ( 503) 429-2000 736 Bridge St. Vernonia www.vernoniaflorist.com
