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CASA Newsletter
August 2012
Lady Speed Stick Women's Half Marathon & 5K
400 Bay Shore Drive SE
St. Petersburg, FL
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Participate in the 5K or Half Marathon! As a member of TEAM CASA, each dollar you raise will directly support thousands of women and children in need of safety and support from domestic violence.
Register at:
Already registered, but want to run with TEAM CASA?
No problem! Just contact Team Captain, Sheila King at
sheila.king@eagleasset.com .
Include your full name and date of birth.
For questions or for more information, please contact CASA at (727) 895-4912 x 101 or Team Captain, Sheila King at sheila.king@eagleasset.com
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A CASA Shelter Volunteer Speaks
by Lauren Klinger
Lauren Klinger, a volunteer for five months, shares what it's like to lend a hand at CASA.
 “I like your backpack” was my opening line. He was 3, and his backpack was full of transformers and Spiderman action figures, so we were fast friends.
“Let’s play Spiderman! He’s gonna kill you!” he yelled.“Wait,” I said. “I don’t like to play like that. Maybe Spiderman just wants to have a dance party?”
He cocked his head to look at me. I smiled. “Okay, let’s dance, Spiderman!” he said, moving his action figure side to side.
His mom asked, “Are you sure you’re okay with him?”
“Definitely,” I said. “Go take a break.”
I watched Jamal [not his name] for about a half hour. When his mom came back, she asked me how he was, in that way that means “I’m sure he was awful.” But he was fine. A new face, someone to play with – sometimes the littlest things make a huge difference to a 3-year-old, or to anyone, really.
I didn’t set out to be a shelter volunteer. I went through the CORE training, though, and when I did my shelter observation hours, Ms. Bonnie, the shelter director, asked me when I was coming back. That was five months ago, and I’ve gone back almost every week since.
At first, I just watched a lot. I helped the advocates organize the closet, cleaned beds after women or families moved on to their life’s next stop, and slowly learned how things worked and what needed to be done. Sometimes what needs to be done is routine, and sometimes I wondered whether I was really helping. But to reflect on these five months, I know I’ve done something worthwhile. I’ve hugged an advocate who was disappointed about a woman who left shelter early. I’ve shared in congratulating a woman who found a job and her own place to live. I’ve played with a baby so his mom could have a few minutes break. I’ve helped a woman shop in the thrift store for clothes to wear to court.
When I tell people I volunteer at CASA, the reactions are usually awe and appreciation – people say things like, “Wow, I could never do that.” But the truth is, yes, you could. I didn’t go to the shelter decked in a cape or armed with spider-bitten super powers.
Sometimes you don’t have to be a superhero. You just have show one how to dance.
Lauren shares some of her volunteer experiences at the First CASA Volunteer Social on August 14th. Listening is Suzanne Stokes, a volunteer at CASA's Transitional Housing. Lauren is a social media consultant for the Early Childhood Council of Hillsborough County and also teachs media writing at both USF and the University of Tampa.
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 New Volunteer Coordinator Sheryl Zeitler says, “If you are interested in volunteering with CASA please feel free to contact me via email at szeitler@casa-stpete.org or phone 727-895-4912 ext 107.
We also hold regular Volunteer Orientations the 2nd Thursday of every month from 6pm – 7pm and the 4th Thursday of every month from 11am – 12noon.
Come find out about the various opportunities we have available. I look forward to meeting you!"
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Carol Brown, Belinda Taylor, Lois Weissman, Erica Moore, Nicole Wheeler, Suzanne Stokes, Lauren Klinger and Bob Sendio demonstrate their enthusiasm for CASA at the first quarterly CASA Volunteer Social held at 1011 First Avenue North on August 14th. We are so grateful for their extraordinary service to survivors of domestic violence in Pinellas County!
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The Crime Watch Group at Good Samaritan Church in Pinellas Park presents 38 new, filled bookbags for CASA kids at back-to-school time. The wonderful donors at Good Samaritan Church are one of a number of generous and thoughtful groups who remembered this year that kids living at a shelter don't have what they need to work and to feel like a part of their school class without the gifts of backpacks and supplies. Please follow CASA on Facebook at CASA St. Petersburg where we feature pictures of our special donors when they deliver their gifts!
Click Here to DONATE NOW
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Leave a Legacy when planning your estate.
Including the following information for your bequest will allow you to impact the future of survivors of domestic violence and their children:
Community Action Stops Abuse (CASA)
P.O. Box 414
St. Petersburg, Florida 33731
Federal Tax I.D. #59-2114359
For more information, contact Stuart Berger, Development Director, at (727) 895-4912 x 114,
or e-mail sberger@casa-stpete.org
Click Here to DONATE NOW
Send your thoughts and ideas for our E-news to
info@casa-stpete.org We encourage you to share this newsletter with your family, friends, and colleagues. If you'd like to receive CASA's E-news monthly please send your e-mail address and you will be included in CASA's e-mail subscription list. (Your information will not be shared).
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