Story provided by CASA for Kids
This November, CASA for Kids honors Gwen Lee as the Volunteer of the Month. Gwen spent 35 years working as a coach and life skills trainer; she is now retired in Wellston. She has been a CASA volunteer for 11 years, serving on more than a dozen cases.
Her coaching background comes in handy as a volunteer. Many times as a CASA, she has found herself mentoring people and helping them with life skills like finding steady employment.
Gwen said serving CASA has helped her develop a more open mind and cultivate more compassion. She said everyone has a story, you just don’t know their story, yet.
“It allows you to give someone just a little bit of grace,” she said.
The kids are the reason Gwen keeps coming back and taking case after case.
“You develop a relationship and a bond with the kids,” she said. “You get them on a path to a happier life, and you know there is another kid in the ‘sad drawer’ who needs someone to stand up for them.”
The “sad drawer” is what staff call the drawer of files on children awaiting their CASA. Until the drawer is empty, there is still more work to do. Call 405-624-2242 or visit casaforkids.com to learn more about all the ways you can help.
