Story and photo submitted by CASA for Kids of Payne and Logan Counties
In her six years with CASA, Nancy Nichols, the November Volunteer of the Month, has taken on more than a half dozen cases, serving 12 children to date. She is still in touch with all of them. Originally from Kansas, Nancy moved to Edmond in the ’70s and worked for the city for 30 years. She served as the city clerk, director of admin service, and a legislative liaison. She retired 2012 but continues to work part-time for Edmond.
When planning to retire, she decided to volunteer and found CASA. In 2012, Nancy went through training in Oklahoma County and began serving there. Just over a year ago, she moved to Logan County and transferred to serve CASA in the Payne and Logan Counties Chapter.
“I’d had a great career, had been so blessed, I wanted to give back,” she said. “I had heard of CASA and knew what it was. It’s a good fit for me. I love kids; I wanted to be involved with other people. I have loved it ever since.”
Nancy knew CASA was right for her with the first case she ever took. She was working with a young mother of two. “She loved her kids and wanted her kids, but she didn’t know how to be a good mom. She had never learned how,” Nancy said. “I ended up being a mentor to her. I showed her how to set up a kitchen and organize for the children.”
“She told me she’d never had anyone care about her like that. I was really the CASA for kids, but in helping them, I was helping her.”
Nancy said the best part of serving CASA is seeing a child blossom, seeing them go from unhappy to happy, and helping parents succeed.
Visit casaforkids.com or call 405-624-2242 to learn more about how you can join the movement and make a difference in a child’s life.
