Annual fundraiser to benefit CASA
Apr. 13—Horses will run again at CASA's annual "Night at the Races" fundraising event, set for Friday night at Turtle Run Banquet Center, 332 E. Liberty Lane.
Admission to the races is $15, which can be purchased at the door.
Food and drinks will be available for purchase.
Happy hour begins at 6 p.m. and the races will begin at 7 p.m.
Participants will be able to purchase "betting bucks" to place on a horse in a race. Once the betting is closed, the race will be watched on television.
"If your horse wins, you get a small prize," said Elizabeth Mellen-Irle, executive director of CASA of Vermilion and Edgar Counties. "That's kind of the main event of the night."
The eight races are past events from across the United States.
In addition to the races, there will also be a live auction, silent auction and raffle.
Raffle tickets are $20. The grand prize is a five-night vacation in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
The raffle drawing will be held at 9 p.m. The winner does not need to be present to claim their prize.
Auction items include: yoga packages; stay at a North Carolina beach house; one fourth of a cow; local restaurant gift baskets and gift cards; handmade art; pottery; glassware; baked goods; cookies; cake; smoker; golf package that includes rounds to Danville Country Club, Turtle Run, Harrison Park, Rivercrest and Up and Down Golf Simulator; private movie night at the Fischer Theater; autographed sports gear; Studio 31 package; tickets to Balloons Over Vermilion; tickets to the Festival of Trees ladies luncheon; weight loss package; photography sessions and more.
"It's a standard live and silent auction, but the unique aspect is the horse races," Mellen-Irle said.
There will also be a booth with information on volunteer opportunities for those interested or that want to learn more about CASA and its mission.
CASA of Vermilion and Edgar Counties recruits, trains and supervises community volunteers to serve as Court Appointed Special Advocates for abused and neglected children within the juvenile court system.
The juvenile court judge appoints CASA volunteers to conduct an independent investigation of the child's circumstances and submit their findings with recommendations to the court via a written report. The advocate visits their appointed child regularly and interviews relevant people in the child's life, including but not limited to: foster parents, biological parents, siblings, relatives, teachers, doctors, counselors, therapists, the Guardian ad Litem (GAL) and the state's attorney. The advocate may observe parent/child visitations, work closely with the child's caseworker to identify needed services for the child and inform the caseworker of any issues or concerns that may arise.
Mellen-Irle said this year's fundraising goal is $40,000, which would be a record for CASA.
"We were just shy of it last year, so hopefully this will be the year we hit that," she said.
All proceeds raised from Friday's event will go directly to CASA.
"There's no other organization that does what CASA does for the community," Mellen-Irle said. "We're a very unique organization that plays a huge role in the youth in our county, and we make sure they are getting the services they need while in foster care."
