Abused Children Get Mentor, Defender
CASA volunteer notes the rewards of being a court-appointed advocate for minors.
Six years ago, Libertyville resident Jim Sayre had just retired when he decided to volunteer for a nonprofit called CASA. “I had been in the pharmaceutical industry for most of my life,” he said, explaining how he was immediately attracted to the organization’s mission statement after he first learned about it during a company luncheon. CASA stands for court-appointed special advocate, and Sayre wanted to join its ranks. When a minor is taken from their home because of abuse or neglect, CASA tries to help the child within the juvenile court system. A judge assigns a volunteer who advocates in the child's best interests. While CASA is a national organization, Lake County’s branch is based out of Deerfield and has 225 volunteers serving …
