Haley Kittrell Executive Director of CASA of Marshall County is honoring Eugene (Gene) Morris at the November Volunteers of the Month.
Gene Morris has been a CASA Volunteer since April of 2009 and in that time, he has advocated for two children.
Kittrell said, “When I say advocate, that does not even begin to describe the time and dedication that Gene puts into his volunteer experience.” A retired tool designer by trade Gene is a fierce and loyal advocate for children and the disenfranchised by nature.
Gene has been the one consistent person in both of his cases. Because of the nature of this work, service providers and case workers come and go, the child may change schools or foster homes countless times and even court staff or judges can change, but Gene is rock solid and if he says he will be there to see his child or will be at a meeting or an event involving the child, he is there.
CASA Volunteers see their children at least once a month in order to have in-depth knowledge of the child and their situation in making court recommendations. Gene goes way above and beyond and usually sees his CASA child every week! This exemplifies why a CASA volunteer is so important: there is no special education level or training that a CASA volunteer must have other than the initial CASA training and the ability to pass a CPS and criminal background check.
In 2006 Indiana stated requiring that every Child in Need of Services (CHINS) case have a CASA volunteer and/or Guardian ad Litem (GAL).
