Kane Co. event raises child abuse awareness

The chilly wind blowing across the Kane County Courthouse property on Third Street in Geneva had the 501 blue pinwheels on the grounds spinning at a rapid clip.

The pinwheels represented the number of children who were served by CASA Kane County last year, and their fast motion could easily represent the never-ending work performed by the Court Appointed Special Advocates.

Thirteen new CASA Kane County volunteers were sworn in Thursday at the Third Street courthouse during the organization's seventh annual Hands Around the Courthouse event to create awareness of the crime of child abuse during National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

The new volunteers join a group of more than 200 CASA Kane County volunteers who represent a child through all steps in juvenile court cases, remaining the one constant in a potential atmosphere of changing lawyers and judges.

“Representing the children is more difficult than being a judge,” said 16th Judicial Circuit Chief Judge F. Keith Brown during his address to the more than 200 people attending the event. “A judge has limited contact with the kids, but a CASA volunteer knows all of the difficulties a child has faced and understands the emotional side, and they know how to explain it to a judge.”

CASA Executive Director Gloria Bunce shared sobering statistics with the audience, saying that more than a quarter-million calls came into the state's child abuse hotline last year, with 3,700 of those in Kane County.

“Without a CASA volunteer, these children wouldn't have a chance to overcome adversity,” Bunce said.

The number of children who died from abuse and neglect in Illinois was down to 62 last year, compared to 82 in 2009, Bunce noted, adding that “one (death) is too many.”

The number of cases coming into the court system is on par with previous years, as CASA has already served 356 children in the first four months of 2011, according to Courtney Laverty, manager of annual giving for CASA.

“CASA is always in a reactive role by being appointed to a case after a problem has reached the court system,” Laverty said. “The Hands Around the Courthouse event allows us to be more proactive in educating the community about the resources available, or phone numbers to call when there is suspected abuse.”

Juvenile Court Judge Clint Hull said he hears as many as 150 to 200 cases a month, and that he was pleased when he got the juvenile court assignment.

“I love kids and this is something I wanted to do,” Hull said. “Many of these children have no father figures, and CASA does such important work to help these kids.”

The event was sponsored by the Tri-Cities Exchange Club, which embraces a national mission of prevention of child abuse.

“This is a very important connection for us to have with our club,” said Don Regole, president of the Exchange Club. “I encourage more people to get involved with our club and with CASA to help these children.”