Dominion East office donates over $1,000 to advocate program

YOUNGSTOWN — The Youngstown office of Dominion East Ohio began its holiday giving at Halloween.

Georgia West, an employee of Dominion who had known about the work of volunteer child advocates for several years, decided to coordinate employee fundraisers for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) the entire month of October.

Seventeen donated gift baskets were displayed outside the lunchroom for workers to bid on every day with the winners announced on Halloween. They also participated in a 50/50 raffle and a snack drive, while several employees contributed money and gift cards.

This week the Mahoning County CASA program was presented with donations totaling $1,165.95 to be used to train local community volunteers to represent abused and neglected children in juvenile court proceedings.

CASA is a national organization, in all 50 states, with about 62,000 volunteers. Beginning 1988 in Mahoning County, more than 200 people have been trained and taken an oath of confidentiality and commitment to remain with the program for one year.

In 2008, CASA will celebrate its 20th birthday May 9 at the Georgetown. For more information on this celebration and spring training to become a volunteer, call the CASA office at (330) 740-2239.