CASA of Cochise County News & Views
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CASA of Cochise County News & Views Abby Dodge - ADR/CASA Director Lissete Borbon - Program Manager Roxandra Pennington - Support Staff www.casaofarizona.org Phone: 432-7521 Fax: 432-7247 Articles Features A Day at Home............................................................................3 Coordinator's Comments ...............................................................2 by the Honorable Terry Bannon, Cochise County Juvenile Judge Dessert Auction - Women's Council of Realtors .........................9 The Boys Are Okay....................................................................4 by Mary C Blanchard, Cochise County CASA Volunteer Welcome to New Volunteers (Soon!!)..........................................13 Bonding Assessments..............................................................5 CASA of the Month........................................................................14 by Debra Peterson, Cochise County CASA Volunteer Tips on How to Help the Judge Get to Know the Players......6 Kudos..............................................................................................15 by Mary C Blanchard, Cochise County CASA Volunteer Case Closures................................................................................16 Vaccination Time........................................................................7 by Mary C Blanchard, Cochise County CASA Volunteer Anniversaries.................................................................................16 Welcome, Judge Bannon!.........................................................8 March Calendar..............................................................................17 by Mary C Blanchard, Cochise County CASA Volunteer Save the Date!!...............................................................................18 Love in Silence...........................................................................8 Submitted by Mary C Blanchard, Cochise County CASA Volunteer Cochise County Council for CASA, Inc ......................................19 Book Review..............................................................................12 by Abby Dodge, Cochise County CASA Program Manager From the Manual A Guide to Dependency Court, Part 2..........................................20 CASA Family Album.................................................................31 Cochise County Newsletter March 2021 CASA of Cochise County News and Views March 2021 2 Coordinator's Comments model for my children. Although becoming a better person for others is a great motivator, I found that I needed to do something just for me. In early 2020, I had committed to getting in better shape, losing weight, the whole thing… And it was going great. I was running on a regular basis (which I hate), eating better (which I also hate), and feeling amazing. Then one day, when I posted something about running on Facebook, one of my uncles in Texas informed me of a half-marathon in Tucson in February that we should run together. He invited his son (my cousin) and another of my cousins to join us as well, so I decided to sign up with them. I didn’t know at the time how important of a decision this would end up being. This gave me something to focus on that doesn’t benefit anyone else but me. It feels a little selfish to type that, but we all need to do something just for Abby Dodge & Family “me” sometimes. I’m writing this a few days before I do the half- Hey everyone! I’m sure you all remember this time last year when it felt marathon, so right now I’m wondering why I didn’t just commit to like a typical March… and then the schools entered Spring Break, and taking myself out to dinner or getting a pedicure or some other basic everything shut down. Had anyone predicted back then that we would self-care option instead of this torture… But here we are. still be in the midst of a pandemic a year later, I would have laughed in I encourage each of you to find something to do that is just for you disbelief, yet here we are. However, rather than focusing on the and no one else. It can be something simple as taking 15 minutes to negative – I want to focus on positive things that have come from this yourself each day, or it could be something of a much larger pandemic. I’d love to hear from you on some positive things that magnitude. Learn a new skill, develop a new hobby, travel happened to you or a loved one as a result of the pandemic. I’ll start. somewhere exotic… Whatever it is, you deserve it! You all give so The obvious positive thing that has happened is that I’ve gotten to much of yourselves daily with your CASA kids, your families and spend a lot more time with my husband and children. We were able to loved ones, and all the other organizations that you support. I’m sure slow down and appreciate our own company, which has been that’s all a huge part of your identity by now – but don’t forget about wonderful. I’ve also gotten to get some additional things done around the most important part…You! the house (projects, cleaning, etc.). However, all this extra time has also given me a lot of time to reflect on myself. I realized that although I’ve accomplished a lot, most of what I’ve done hasn’t really been for me. It’s been to help my family or others or to be a good example/role CASA of Cochise County News and Views March 2021 3 A Day at Home by the Honorable Terry Bannon, Cochise County Presiding Juvenile Judge Dear CASAs, The snow was beautiful. Huge flakes falling all around, and the earth was so quiet. It was remarkable. So, I watched every Columbo episode that was available on Netflix DVDs. It was remarkable. Despite breaching every crime scene So, I started shoveling. Snow was a lot heavier than I remembered. I investigation protocol, he solved every case. I wondered how he did wondered if global warming had anything to do with the increased it? Maybe it was the trench coat? I wondered if I should get one? I weight of snow? But I couldn’t spend much time on that contemplation semi-looked into it, but concluded it wasn’t a look I could pull off. I just because I was starting to get buried in. Within a couple minutes, the didn’t have his sense of style. temperature under that wool sweater was about 1000 degrees. The rest of me was frozen, but my body core felt like the surface of the When the Columbo DVD’s ran out, I did not lament. There’s always sun. It was a puzzler for sure, but I had to keep going. the next DVD binge and I was looking forward to it. After a couple more minutes of simultaneously sweating and freezing, I continued with my crime busting DVD binge and went from the crime I decided I should take a look at my progress. It was disappointing. scene to the court room a la Perry Mason. After a few episodes, I The new snow seemed to target the areas I shoveled, and they were wondered if he had ever heard of the Rules of Evidence? Didn’t seem all filled in with the fresh stuff. I gave a few more shovels. Then I fell. It so. And it didn’t seem to matter. Ultimately, every defendant withered was epic. Totally YouTube worthy. But I’m no quitter. I resolved to under Perry’s “You know you’re guilty and you know I am going to continue, but first I had to go back inside to cool off, warm up and take prove you are guilty so why don’t you just confess now” stony-eyed some Advil. stare. It was remarkable. I fell asleep on the couch. Eventually, I lost my enthusiasm for the courtroom drama. I was I didn’t go back out. looking forward to my next series. I was just in the middle of my I woke up long after dark and stepped outside. The air was research when - it hit! The snowstorm of 2021! My Internet went down crisp. The world was quiet. and with it my plans for my next binge watch. I sat on the couch for My car was buried. about an hour watching the snow fall trying to visualize what I could I didn’t care. put in my queue when it occurred to me that I had better start shoveling. I thought of the Donner party and got dressed in a hurry. The day had been remarkable. And I was looking forward to tomorrow. I put on a handwoven wool sweater made in Norway before wool got softer. It was super scratchy. Immediately I got blotchy and itchy. But J Bannon it was warm and wearing it seemed like a good idea at the time. Besides, unlike the trench coat, this was my kinda look. I was looking forward to getting out there in the weather and shoveling. CASA of Cochise County News and Views March 2021 4 The Boys Are Okay by Mary C. Blanchard, Cochise County CASA Volunteer I have a network of contacts that I ask for help when I need help or I don't know the end of the story, but I do have closure because the information. I called a former foster mother to see if she might have an boys are safe, and that is enough for me. I love happy endings even opening for one of my CASA kids who is going to need a new if I don't know what they are. As CASAs, our job is to advocate for placement. She doesn’t have any openings, so we chatted about life the best interest of our children. We all do that, and our goal is to do in general. During the conversation, she quietly told me, "The boys our very best to gather information and make recommendations to are okay." I knew exactly what boys she was referring to, and I said, the judge. We are overjoyed when a child in the system finds a "Thanks for letting me know." We moved on to news about her family forever home that we think has a reasonable chance of success. At and parenting classes. the end of the day, if we are unhappy with the verdict, we know we have done all we can do to help our child.