Students bring in $4,000

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March 21, 2009

BY ANNA HERKAMP The Commercial-News Sat Mar 21, 2009, 11:58 PM CDT

DANVILLE — A recent change drive showed the unconditional generosity of local youth.

Vermilion County schools participated in a “Change for Change” drive in February that brought in $4,000 — in change — in just a week.

“It was seriously amazing,” said Alayne Anderson, who retired last year as assistant principal of East Park Elementary School.

The kids gave their pennies, nickels and dimes for the cause because they’re aware of families that need support from programs like CASA, she said.

Anderson is now a board member for the local Court Appointed Special Advocates of Vermilion County.

“The kids really seemed to think it was an important thing,” she said.

Now, it’s the adults’ turn. CASA will host a fundraiser called “Casablanca” next weekend that gives grown-ups a chance to show the kind of support their kids did.

The survival of the program depends on the fundraiser and others like it, according to Executive Director Heather Fox.

The program plays an important role in ensuring that children don’t fall through the cracks of the court system. Advocates make sure that foster children have what they need to be healthy and productive, including doctor visits, counseling and ade-quate clothing.

As the economy worsens, the rates of child abuse go up, potentially leading to more of a need for the program.

Finances affect our ability to take care of our children, and when economic instability rises, so do the rates of abuse and neglect, Fox said.

The program has been funded with a seed money grant that paid for $80,000 from the summer of 2007 until this summer.

Anderson said the program is a unique one to be involved with.

“It’s kind of neat to be doing this,” she said.

“It’s a new organization, and they have to survive on grant money and donations. The state doesn’t fund the program at all … I think it’s really worthwhile; other states where their CASA funds are supported by state funding. It puts an extra burden on us.”

Next year’s $70,000 budget has $30,000 taken care of, but the rest is left to be raised.

“We’ve got a long way to go,” Fox said.

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