Ho, Ho, Howdy!

Our unique greeting today comes to you courtesy of our newest fundraiser: A CASA Country Christmas. This family-friendly holiday concert will feature the Flying J Wranglers, a country/western band out of Alto, NM. The Wranglers have graciously agreed to make the 650-mile trek to East Texas to perform a benefit concert for CASA, and we hope you’ll join us! The fun kicks off at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30, at Living For the Brand Cowboy Church on Loop 7 in Athens. The Wranglers will perform holiday favorites as well as a few classic western songs. It is sure to be a great time for the whole family! Tickets will go on sale in early October. Stay tuned to our Facebook page and website for more info! I was thinking the other day about the areas in which we serve: Henderson, Anderson and Cherokee counties. We work in small towns in rural East Texas, places where people know each other, where a helping hand is never far away. I’m so grateful to get to work where I do, in this beautiful part of the world with some of the most generous people I’ve ever met. Thank you for supporting CASA and, in turn, supporting some of Texas’ most vulnerable children. You all are truly awesome!

Emily Heglund Executive Director

Bikers Against Child Abuse At our most recent CASA Cafe in Palestine, we were joined by members of the Bikers Against Child Abuse (B.A.C.A.). There are many misconceptions about B.A.C.A. that guest speakers Stay-Puft and Cherokee addressed in their presentation: B.A.C.A. is not a motorcycle gang or club...it's a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization just like CASA! According to their mission statement, B.A.C.A. "exists with the intent to create a safer environment for abused children. We exist as a body of Bikers to empower children to not feel afraid of the world in which they live. We stand ready to lend support to our wounded friends by involving them with an established, united organization. We work in conjunction with local and state officials who are already in place to protect children." B.A.C.A. is an international organization that supports abused children world-wide. The children B.A.C.A. serve are inducted into B.A.C.A. as lifetime members. They are presented with their very own "cut" (the vest all members wear) bearing the B.A.C.A. logo, they choose their own "biker name" and attend a special induction ceremony. B.A.C.A. members go through intensive training, federal background checks, and every B.A.C.A. chapter has access to a Licensed Mental Health Professional (LMHP). That LMHP is also responsible for conducting training for the B.A.C.A. membership. All applicants must attend monthly B.A.C.A. meetings, rides, court hearings, other B.A.C.A. events and ride with the B.A.C.A. chapter for one year minimum. They are then presented to the governing Board of Directors and must be unanimously voted in to become a Member. Each B.A.C.A. member carries a special coin. The coin is for children only, and members take special care to ensure it is never touched by an adult (including themselves). A child can ask for this talisman at any time, and can carry it into court as a physical reminder of the support and protection of B.A.C.A.

Both Cherokee and Stay-Puft were very clear that they would do anything, including laying down their own lives if necessary, in order to protect a child. B.A.C.A. stands as a very tangible barrier to all who would harm a child, and empowers these same children to confront and hopefully overcome their fears. We'd like to thank all of the B.A.C.A. members worldwide for the wonderful work they do, and especially thank the Lufkin chapter for all the support they've shown us. If you'd like to know more about B.A.C.A., visit their website:

B.A.C.A. of Texas

Jacksonville Health Fair CASA Casework Supervisor Donna Parks holds down the fort at the CASA table during the Jacksonville Health Fair hosted by Family First Health Clinic.

Welcome New Volunteers! Three new volunteers for Anderson County were sworn in on August 23, 2018. Pictured from left: casework supervisor Kristi Pickard, Joanne Hannah, Cindy Epps, Sharon Taylor, Judge Jeff Doran, and casework supervisor Donna Crockett. We are so pleased to welcome Joanne, Cindy and Sharon into our CASA family!

Legislative Advocacy Team, Go!

There are currently 26 CASA Legislative Advocacy Teams (LATs) in Texas that work with Texas CASA and their local CASA programs to develop and promote policy agendas to improve the child welfare system. These LATs are led by volunteer advocates and/or board members and work with staff liaisons in each CASA program to build relationships with legislators, develop policy agendas to improve the child welfare system with Texas CASA, and motivate and empower others in the local CASA program to advocate for those improvements.  LATs may also submit written testimony or give oral testimony at legislative committee hearings. By sharing their experiences, they are able to give a unique, personal perspective of the importance in changing the way the state cares for children.

CASA Executive Director Emily Heglund and advocate BJ Sanderfer attend Texas CASA's Legislative Advocacy Retreat in Austin on August 21, 2018.

9/29/18 Race for the Rainbow 10-1 at the Freshwater Fisheries in Athens, benefiting the Rainbow Room. 9/29/18 Henderson County Arboretum holds their Celebration of German Cuisine in Athens at 6:00 pm. 9/29/18 Henderson County United Way Wine Tour, departs Athens judicial complex at 9:30 am and returns at 4:00 pm. 9/29/18 CASA will be at the Lake Area Business Expo 12-4 at the Gun Barrel City Pavilion. 10/6/18 Family Peace Project Purple Purse Bingo takes place from 10-6 at Athens Country Club.