Pat Eckart’s 10 Year Anniversary with CASA of NWA

Pat Eckart has dedicated and served the last 10 years volunteering her time to advocate for foster children in the Benton County Courts. After retiring from a rewarding career as an RN, Pat found that she had extra time on her hands and wanted to help children here in northwest Arkansas.

Pat wasted no time, starting the advocate and court training in the spring of 2000. Ten years have provided Pat with a variety of experiences and scenarios, however all the cases end with a ruling that is in the best interest of the children. On five of her cases the children were reunited and returned to live with their birth parents, and on seven cases the children were adopted by deserving families here in Northwest Arkansas.

When asked, why volunteer at CASA of NWA? Pat replies, “Seeing these children receive love and nurturing and live in a safe and stable home helped me carry out CASA's mission. With the support from my husband Bob (also a CASA), DHS workers, Attorneys, and Judge Finch have helped make my ten year tenure with CASA of Northwest Arkansas a very heart-warming experience.”

CASA of Northwest Arkansas, Inc. is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization, located in Springdale, which is committed to recruiting and maintaining diverse volunteers, staff, and board of directors. CASA volunteers are trained, court-appointed special advocates whose sole responsibility is to make contact with everyone involved in the child’s life and gather the facts. The advocate reports the facts to the Judge and recommends what they believe to be "in the best interest of the child." In most cases the CASA is the bridge between all parties, and they become a constant face to a child, who may have been introduced to multiple case workers and foster homes.

For more information on how you can help the foster children, contact CASA of NWA, Inc. at www.nwacasa.org or call 479-725-2213.
 

CASA Volunteer Mary Lou Kolb Celebrates Ten Years of Advocacy for Children

CASA of Northwest Arkansas is honored to have had Mary Lou Kolb as an advocate for the past 10 years.  Mary Lou is highly respected in the community and has given unlimited time and effort to create awareness of CASA in NWA. Mary Lou’s best quality is that she does not waiver under pressure: she is understanding yet stern. She is well respected not only by the community of NWA, but by the Department of Human Services, the attorneys, and the judges. Mary Lou has made a stellar name both for herself and for CASA.

Janna Perry-Holloway had this to say as she reflected on Mary Lou’s dedication to CASA: "For ten years Mary Lou Kolb has persistently shown an extraordinary amount of compassion for our foster care children and the child welfare system they are involved with. She's done so by providing priceless volunteer hours of crucial advocacy that is always in the children’s best interests. Also, by donating more time to DHS to assist the family service workers with their never ending filing.  Many aspire for the ability to do as she has done."

CASA of NWA, Inc. is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization, located in Springdale, and is committed to recruiting and maintaining diverse volunteers, staff, and board of directors. CASA volunteers are trained, court-appointed special advocates whose sole responsibility is to make contact with everyone involved in the child’s life and gather the facts. The advocate reports the facts to the judge and recommend what they believe to be in the best interests of the child.  In most cases the CASA is the bridge between all parties, and they become a constant presence in a child’s life; a child who may have been introduced to multiple case workers and foster homes. For more information please contact CASA of NWA, Inc. at 479-725-2213 or online at www.nwacasa.org  

******************************************