Helping hands for child abuse victims

CASA Kane County celebrated National Child Abuse Prevention Month Thursday with its sixth annual Hands Around the Courthouse ceremony in Geneva.

The event, which took place inside the civil courthouse on Third Street in downtown Geneva, was to draw local attention to the issue of child abuse and neglect.

The mission of CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) is to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children within the juvenile court system. In 2009, 215 CASA volunteers represented 538 abused and neglected children.

Juvenile Court Judge Susan Clancy Boles and CASA Kane County Executive Director Gloria Bunce addressed those in attendance Thursday.

Co-sponsors of the event were the Family Violence Coordinating Council of the 16th Judicial Circuit, the Tri-Cities Exchange Club, and Pockets of Aurora.

For information about the CASA program, visit casakanecounty.org.

To report suspected abuse or neglect, call (800) 252-2873.