CASA

I have been busy, busy, busy!  A few months ago I became a "Friend of CASA" (Court Appointed Special Advocates).  I have been to TONS of meetings and dedicated LOTS of hours to this group.  I've LOVED every minute of it!  It has been great to get out, meet people and most importantly help kids.  We have been preparing for the annual "Festival of Chairs" fundraiser for several months now.  I can't tell you how happy I am to be a part of this group!  

CASA helps child victims of abuse and neglect to regain their childhood and be placed in safe, permanent homes.  Friends of CASA is a group of volunteers that help support these kids by raising money and promote community awareness.

We held the "Festival of Chairs" this past Saturday.     

Different artists around Conway paint a chair then donate it to the "Festival of Chairs" to be bid on in the silent or live auction.  The whole idea behind the chairs is to take a "neglected and abused" chair (much like the neglected and abused children) and restore it to a new beautiful chair.
I was lucky to be able to paint a chair for the fundraiser.

Below is a picture of my chair (in this case an old school student desk) before I sanded and painted it.

And here is the chair AFTER:

There were about 25 chairs at the fundraiser.  There were only 3 chairs chosen to be in the Live Auction and my chair was chosen to be one of the 3 in the Live Auction!!!!  I was SO excited (and nervous!)!

Here is a pic of some of the "Friends of CASA".  We got to know each other pretty
well this past week, lol! :)  This was the day we started setting up for the fundraiser.

This picture is of Sherri and me.  We are pretty much joined at the hip these days :)

A few of the auction items:

Some of the chairs:

The best seat in the house ;)

our table

Ashley (my neighbor), Sherri and me

Me, Amy, Paul

Here's a picture of when my chair was up for auction!  Heather Crawford from channel 7 was an MC 

My chair sold for $150.00

I don't know what I would do without this girl!!!

This is a picture from when they were doing the live auction for a getaway to the Treehouse Cottages in Eureka Springs.....

and guess who won?????......

Here are two pics I got online from the Treehouse Cottages:  

I'm excited to go!  The auction includes a free dinner at a restaurant in downtown Eureka Springs and it also includes a carriage ride!

Below is a picture of our neighbor, Adam.  This picture is so funny to me because he is bidding on a live puppy.  He wanted this puppy so bad that he stood up and just held up his bid card the whole time bids were going back and forth!  I think he finally put his arm down at around $2,400.00!  The puppy sold for $3,200.00!   

Tori, Maret, Me, Sherri

Me with one of my favorite couples!  Paul and Sherri!

Oh these boys.... :)  These boys LOVE them some golf.  

Jason, Me, Paul and Adam

You can't tell but we are sitting on my chair I painted!  Rick and Tori were the winning bidders!

Some of the Friends of CASA after the fundraiser

We raised about $83,000.00 durning the Festival of Chairs.  It makes me feel SO good that these kids will get ALL of this money to help them have better lives.  

Being a member of CASA has helped me in so many ways.  I even think it has helped fill a void I have been feeling ever since I stopped teaching .  I'm glad I can help these kiddos and I'm glad it makes me feel good in return.  I CAN NOT WAIT until our next CASA event!