Season of Giving: Students, Scouts, others donate money, toys to children through CASA

Dec. 23—Santa has more little helpers around the world every year and this year, Baker County has stepped up again for children in the CASA program.

Every year, Lew Brothers Les Schwab Tires in Baker City has a toy drive for CASA children to give them a fun Christmas.

Lew Brothers has been the collection point for CASA Christmas donations for years.

The large chest for toys can be found in the front window of the shop, and anyone can donate toys there.

CASA stands for Court-Appointed Special Advocates. These volunteers help represent abused or neglected children during various court hearings. Among the donors this year was Cub Scout Troop 432 from Baker City, which received a bunch of toys from Walmart for the first time.

"We wanted to spread the wealth," said scoutmaster BJ Lynch.

The campaign to raise money for CASA of Eastern Oregon, a nonprofit organization, also led to a friendly competition between students at Brooklyn Primary and South Baker Elementary schools in Baker City.

Students started bringing change to school after Thanksgiving, and although the main goal was to help CASA kids, there was another powerful incentive for students in Brooklyn, which has grades 1-3, and South Baker, grades 4-6.

The winning school had the golden opportunity to host an assembly where the principal and vice principal would receive a pie to the face.

A sweet incentive indeed as students can enter a drawing to determine who will get to pie the principal and vice principal.

Brooklyn was the winner for the second year in a row, raising $1,278.19.

Combined with South Baker's donation of $911.11, the two schools contributed $2,189.30 to CASA.

"Some kids have kept their baggies and brought multiple donations in," said Katy Collier, Brooklyn principal. "Other kids kept them and saved them until the very end and then brought a great big baggy. We've had kids bring in coins and cash."

Last year the two schools combined to donate more than $4,000, Collier said.

She also told Brooklyn students that if they reached a goal, marked by a line on a jar used to collect donations, school staff would don holiday attire.

About CASA

Baker County currently has 31 kids represented by a CASA volunteer. Donations such as toys and money help the kids and families that assist them.

CASA of Eastern Oregon covers Baker, Grant, Harney, Lake, Malheur and Union counties.

Kimberly Wirth, CASA program manager in Baker County, said teenagers who are in the program really love gift cards, such as Paizano's Pizza and local coffee shops.

"Whatever comes into Baker, it stays in Baker. It doesn't get shipped off anywhere else," Wirth said of donations.

She said if CASA has items left, they are held so families can use them for a special occasion.

"We live in such an amazing community," Wirth said. "I've never lived in a community that has been so giving. Everyone is just amazing. It's really humbling to see that. I'm really proud to live here."

Wirth said CASA is always looking for adult advocates to help represent children. They have a training in January and anyone who is interested can get more information at casaeo.org.

There are online applications for those who are interested.

"But if that's not something someone wants to do, we always have other ways if you want to help volunteer with something, we can pluck you in somewhere," Wirth said.

Volunteers can help with anything from helping in the office to helping with CASA events.

"We welcome people to come help and join us," Wirth said.