FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Andrea Bruns, State Director/CEO
abruns@kentuckycasanetwork.org
(502) 238-2154
November 6, 2024 – The Kentucky CASA Network announced the volunteer award winners during the 40th Anniversary Volunteer Appreciation Dinner on October 29, 2024, in Bowling Green. The dinner was sponsored by Kosair for Kids, AT&T, and American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL), with additional support from the Kentucky Bar Foundation. The award recipients are as follows:
- Bob Babbage Volunteer of the Year – Toni Miller, CASA of West Kentucky
- Longest Serving CASA Volunteer – Diane Drescher, CASA of the River Region
- CASA All-Star Awards:
- Legacy of Service – Sandra French, CASA of Midwest Kentucky
- Determined Driver – Linda Halter, CASA of Madison and Clark Counties
- Limitless Enthusiast – Barb Davis, CASA of Graves County & Southwest KY
- Lifelong Learner – Carol Walker, The Buffalo Trace CASA Program
- Community Connector – Vivian Secrest, CASA of South Central KY
- Tough Case Navigator – Kacey Clanahan, CASA of West Kentucky
- Unsung Hero – Mary Jo Cleves, CASA of the Northern Bluegrass Region
- Notable Newcomer – Sarah Childers, CASA of the Lincoln Trail
- Perseverance Champion – Clarice Davie, Joseph DeMarco, Christina Morris, Tim Moss, Martha Steil, and Amy Wilcher, Christian County CASA Volunteers
Local program staff and directors from across the commonwealth nominated these winners for their excellent work to advance the CASA mission. More information about each winner can be found in the awards program.
“We are grateful to the nearly 1,300 volunteers across the Commonwealth who advocate for Kentucky's kids,” said Andrea Bruns, KCN State Director/CEO. “We were pleased to not only honor our Volunteer of the Year, Toni Miller, but to recognize advocates who have gone above and beyond in their roles as advocates. The evening was an inspiring celebration where we were thrilled to bestow our appreciation on the Commonwealth’s dedicated CASA volunteers.”
The Volunteer Appreciation Dinner was held on October 29 as the culmination of the 40th anniversary celebration of CASA in Kentucky. Children’s rights lawyer and author Andrew Bridge provided a keynote address, speaking about his personal experiences in foster care and the impact that CASA volunteers have on children involved in the child welfare system. The following day, October 30, local program staff, directors, board members, and CASA volunteers gathered for the KCN’s first ever Volunteer Recruitment Summit, sponsored by Bloomerang, to network and share ideas about recruiting and retaining CASA volunteers.
About the Kentucky CASA Network
The Kentucky CASA Network is the state association for Court Appointed Special Advocates, as recognized in the Kentucky Revised Statutes, with a mission to support the development, growth, and continuation of local CASA programs in Kentucky. CASA programs recruit and train volunteers to advocate on behalf of children who have come into the court system as a result of dependency, neglect, or abuse. In 2023, 1,211 CASA volunteers advocated for 3,472 abused and neglected children statewide. Kentucky currently has a network of local CASA programs that cover 97 counties. For more information, please visit www.kentuckycasanetwork.org.
