Putt Fore CASA is set to return Sept. 3 from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Courtesy of CASA of Jefferson and Gilpin Counties While hitting the mini-golf course for a day of friendly competition can be fun on its own, CASA of Jefferson and Gilpin Counties will soon host a day of putt-putt that gives attendees a day of fun, while giving back to the community. CASA’s annual Putt Fore fundraiser is set for Sept. 3, from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at Putter’s Pride in Lakewood. The evening will be filled with mini-golf, dinner, drinks and door prizes for the community, all while raising money to support CASA. CASA, which stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates, provides specially trained volunteers to work with children who have experienced abuse or neglect as they navigate the court system with an open case of child abuse or neglect. Volunteers undergo an initial 35-hour training, then, once they are assigned a case, meet with the child on a weekly basis to support them. “It’s really getting to know the child, the family,” said Audrey Miklitsch, CASA’s engagement and communications manager. “It is doing a lot of fun stuff, going to events, going to the park, but also maybe helping with homework or kind of whatever the child might specifically need in terms of advocacy, they build that relationship week after week.” While the CASA volunteer spends time with the child on a weekly basis, they also attend court with the child, helping to advocate for their needs. “In the courtroom, they can advocate for specific things, whether that is about their placement, because a lot of these kids are in foster care, kinship care,” Miklitsch said. “But it can also be advocating for small things like joining a basketball team at school or having access to a cell phone because they get to see the child every week.“Every child has their own range of needs,” Miklitsch continued, “so the volunteers are very flexible and just kind of support that child to then help with that advocacy by doing that relationship building week after week.”CASA of Jefferson and Gilpin Counties is one of several CASA’s in the Denver metro area, serving children in the 1st Judicial District. Since being founded in 2001, the organization has helped over 5,000 children. According to Executive Director Melissa Hellmuth, the nonprofit currently has around 180 active volunteers working on 181 cases. “Our hope is that when the children exit the system, they are in a safe, permanent home and that their needs and their wants are told to the judge,” Hellmuth said. “That might not be our recommendation, but we know that the judge has heard that child and what they want and what they need, which is so empowering and impactful for the children who are going through a really hard time in their lives.”#placement_976422_0_i{width:100%;max-width:550px;margin:0 auto;}var rnd = window.rnd || Math.floor(Math.random()*10e6);var pid976422 = window.pid976422 || rnd;var plc976422 = window.plc976422 || 0;var abkw = window.abkw || ”;var absrc = ‘https://ads.empowerlocal.co/adserve/;ID=181918;size=0x0;setID=976422;type=js;sw=’+screen.width+’;sh=’+screen.height+’;spr=’+window.devicePixelRatio+’;kw=’+abkw+’;pid=’+pid976422+’;place=’+(plc976422++)+’;rnd=’+rnd+’;click=CLICK_MACRO_PLACEHOLDER’;var _absrc = absrc.split(“type=js”); absrc = _absrc[0] + ‘type=js;referrer=’ + encodeURIComponent(document.location.href) + _absrc[1];document.write(‘ ‘);However, for children who don’t have a permanent home, Hellmuth said that their CASA volunteer often becomes a reliable adult in their life, the relationship continuing on for ongoing support. In order to help fund its work, CASA will hold its Putt Fore fundraiser for the third year in a row, bringing together the community while supporting their cause. “It’s just an opportunity to have a fundraiser to help support our work, support these children, but also for people and community members to come and learn about CASA, what different ways to get involved, whether that’s volunteering or fundraising,” Miklitsch said.Attendees will be able to play unlimited mini-golf, as well as enjoy barbecue from Bold BBQ, which is included with the ticket. There will also be informational tables, so attendees can learn more about CASA’s work. This is the third year the nonprofit has hosted Putt Fore, and Miklitch said the event was inspired by a desire for a family-friendly event. “We are an organization that works with children and families, and we thought it would be great to do a fundraiser that appealed to our volunteers, families, as well as just kind of a more accessible level,” Miklitch said. “We wanted the opportunity to have families of all ages or people who just kind of want to learn about CASA have the opportunity to come, as well as doing something fun.”Hellmuth said that even if supporters cannot make it to the fundraiser, there’s always a way to get involved. “There is room for everybody at CASA,” Hellmuth said. “We would not be able to do this work without our volunteers. They are absolutely fabulous. They’re amazing, amazing people, and the awareness that we can be having and be spreading is really important.”Tickets for Putt Fore CASA are on sale now at https://www.casajeffcogilpin.com/putt-fore-casa/Read More
Annual Putt Fore CASA to support nonprofit’s mission
