Non-Profits Assist Local Children With Fund Raisers

Non-Profits Assist Local Children With Fund Raisers

BOBBY ARDOIN

St. Landry Now.com

Two local non-profit agencies – The Opelousas Cerebral Palsy Clinic and CASA – are continuing to serve the needs of St. Landry Parish children through annual funding obtained primarily through donations and fund raisers.

The Rotary Club is scheduled again to provide substantial donations for both CASA and the Cerebral Palsy Clinic with procreeds from an annual locally-televised auction scheduled this year to be broadcast live Oct. 7 beginning at 6 p.m.

Agency representatives Madeline Rosette of CASA and Lynn Moreau of the Cerebral Palsy Clinic recently explained the impact of their organizations during separate Rotary Club appearances.

“When you have (the Rotary auction) you are helping us help children,” Rosette explained to Rotarians during her presentations.

Moreau told Rotary Club members that in addition to the auction proceeds, the Cerebral Palsy is scheduling an annual major Breakfast With Santa event Dec. 2 starting at 7 am at the Steamboat Warehouse in Washington.

CASA trains volunteers that work with judicial systems advocating for youths located mainly in foster homes, Rosette said.

Volunteers are always needed, Rosette said, for children who are often neglected and traumatized.

“These children are often not being taken care of properly and they are going from place to place,” said Rosette.

Currently St. Landry has 26 certified foster homes, according to Rosette.

“What CASA does is send volunteers into the homes in order to assist children to make sure they are safe and to create another layer in the circle of support. Our volunteers will also go if requested, into other parishes,” Rosette pointed out.

Rosette indicated that CASA volunteers often experience and become mediators in battles that occur between parents and their children who are in foster care.

Moreau told club members that the Cerebral Palsy Clinic served 47 children this past summer.

“We were extremely busy, providing physical, occupational and speech therapy,” Moreau added.

Moreau pointed out that the Cerebral Palsy Clinic, with guidance from Steamboat Warehouse chef Jason Huget, will attempt to provide a kids cooking show sometime in November.

Tickets for the Breakfast With Santa event, which cost $25, should cover the expenses for providing a therapy session for one child, said Moreau.

The clinic, Moreau said, will also need funding to help upgrade the website for the organization.

Moreau said that improving the website will help facilitate donors who want to make contributions online.