Ronnie Neill - Maypearl ISD employee, Waxahachie resident
As I sat with my younger sister while her husband of 25 years was receiving another chemotherapy treatment, I witnessed many hospital volunteers offering him and my sister snacks, smiles, magazines, words of encouragement, etc. It came to me with such clarity. My life has been so blessed. I need to immediately start giving something back to society to express my gratitude; pay it forward. Blessed again, I found CASA! Armed with twenty-five years experience as an educator in Ellis County and thirty hours of training with CASA supervisors, I excitedly entered my first case. After two years of service, I continue to be equally as excited with each new case I receive.
People ask me if it is not just too sad to volunteer in this field where there are so many children living in crisis; living in overwhelming situations with seemingly no end. My answer always includes the quote from the Starfish parable about whether of not you can make a difference picking up the hundreds of stranded starfish from the beach and one at a time tossing them back to the safety of the ocean. The quote that represents what CASA does for hundreds of children stranded in bad places in their lives, "I made a difference to that one!"
One child at a time, Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteers in Ellis County and across the nation make a difference in the lives and futures of children they serve. As I meet each new child, once again, I am blessed!
