Ten Questions with Susan Stone, Director Of CASA

It was just a year ago that Susan Stone took over as director of CASA. The acronym stands for Court Appointed Special Advocate, and the organization trains volunteers to help children through the court system.

The position is not an easy one. The cases can be tough, for one. And her office is in a city garage. But then again, Stone spent 29 years in finance, working with Wells Fargo through sound economic times as well as recessions.

Stone is originally from Manchester, in England. She left there in 1977. She spent time in the Philippines before she and her family settled in this country. Stone became a U.S. citizen in 2012.

1. About your office ...

No windows [laughs]. Thank goodness I can work from home. We use this for training volunteers and our committee meetings. We're a nonprofit. We'll take a garage any day.

2. So what is CASA?

Court Appointed Special Advocate. We train volunteers to be the voice of abused and neglected children in the juvenile court system.

3. Is there much of a call for your services?

Nationally we work with over 10,000 children a year. In Cheyenne County we serve 12 children.

4. It's a specialized service. Volunteers must be hard to find.

They are. But they go through training. It takes a special person because it's never good news. But no one speaks for the child other than a CASA volunteer.

5. How do you unwind from this?

It's worse for the volunteers. They get attached to the children and the families. I look a the cases and the success of those cases. It keeps me motivated.

6. Do you have a favorite story?

Probably that we've trained six volunteers who serve 12 children. That's the best part. That's the best story there is.

7. You're from Manchester. United or City [soccer teams]?

United! The red and white, thanks. Man U--get that in there.

8. They're having an off year. Couldn't they use a guy like Eric Cantona now?

Yeah, now they could. But in the 1970s Georgie Best was the best. They don't make them like him anymore.

9. Do you miss soccer?

Yeah, I do. I miss the hooligans. I do like American football. It is so much more civilized.

10. So what are your goals for CASA

To have 20 volunteers total--so 14 more. We also want to expand into Deuel and Morrill Counties so we can serve the children in those counties. Our presence there is needed, more than it is in Cheyenne County.