Note: the 2007 Alaska CASA/GAL
Conference was approved for 11.5 CEUs by the Alaska Board of Social
Work Examiners and the Alaska Board of Professional Counselors.
Thanks
for a great conference!
2007 Alaska CASA/GAL Conference
The 2007 Alaska CASA/GAL Conference,
Celebrating 20 Years of CASA in Alaska, was held
September 14-15th at the Anchorage Millennium Hotel. Many
thanks to all who participated in making this year's conference such
a success!
View photos.
Over 140 child advocates, social
workers, foster parents and service providers joined Honorary Chairperson
and Master of Ceremonies William Hitchcock for two days of
informative workshops, networking with colleagues from across
Alaska, and recognition of the enormous contribution CASA
volunteers have made to Alaska's child protection system over the
last two decades.
Department of Administration
Commissioner Annette Kreitzer welcomed participants and conveyed
best wishes from the Governor. Native Village of Eklutna Elder
Alberta Stephan gave the opening blessing, and Audrey
Armstrong delivered the opening keynote address. Teens Acting
Against Violence, a group from Bethel, closed Friday with a
powerful performance. The ever-popular judges panel began the
morning on Saturday with a discussion of involving youth in court.
The youth from Facing Foster Care in Alaska facilitated their
own workshop on the youth perspective of the CASA/GAL role. The
conference closed with a presentation by Ma'o Tosi about the
PRIDE Club youth programs he started last year on his own time and
with his own money.
The highlight of the conference was
surely the Recognition Luncheon on Saturday. Jim Clune, Senior
Communications Officer with National CASA, updated participants on
National CASA's efforts to spread the word about CASA - including
new PSAs that will run during the season premiere of CSI and then
periodically in prime time on CBS.
William Hitchcock, who emceed the
luncheon, recognized Alaska CASA co-founders Liz Still,
Pam Montgomery and Jay McCarthy with the title of
Honorary CASA Volunteer. Pam and Jay were on hand to share a few
anecdotes about what it took to gain acceptance of the CASA concept
in Alaska.
And then there were the awards:
thirty CASA volunteers from around the state received Presidential
Service Awards for their volunteer service in 2006. The Valley
Quilters Guild received the award for outstanding service to
CASAs for Children; Marcia Honea (Anchorage) was recognized
for outstanding mentoring of CASA volunteers; Teresa Connelly,
Bev Harper, Marianne Hieronymous, Martha Wilder
(Anchorage), Lori Cannon (Fairbanks), Robert Wild
(Juneau) and Barbara McDaniel (Valley) received Outstanding
Service as a CASA Volunteer awards.
Thanks to our wonderful exhibitors:
CASAs for Children, Volunteers of America Alaska, Southern New
Hampshire University graduate program, Standing Together Against
Rape (STAR), Darkness to Light, PFLAG, University of Alaska
Anchorage AHAINA Student Programs, Alaska Job Corps, and Good
Samaritan Counseling.
And many, many thanks to the
conference planning committee: Jane Atkinson, Currey Cook, June
Haisten, Laura Haywood, Barb Malchick, LeeAnn Reicks, Cecily Skoog-Moore,
Lynn Squires-White, Marsha Tandeske, Kay Wallis. You made it all
happen!
Gateway Rotary Grants $1K to
Support Conference
The Gateway Rotary Club in Anchorage
awarded a $1000 grant to CASAs for Children to help underwrite the
costs of the 2007 conference "Celebrating 20 Years of CASA in
Alaska." The generosity of the Gateway Rotarians helped defray
the cost of hosting the Recognition Luncheon, which celebrated the
enormous contributions made by CASA volunteers in advocating for
abused and neglected children. Thank you Gateway Rotary!
