Bob Lawson was inspired to become a CASA volunteer by his wife, Carol Lawson. “I had been retired for a year and a half and had settled on one volunteer position but was searching for another meaningful project to do on a volunteer basis. When I heard about Yolo County CASA, I just felt called.”
Bob has been a CASA volunteer to a 14-year old male for about a year. “At first I think he thought I was another adult cycling through his life but after a while he said he really came to look forward to our visits. We go out to eat a lot. As with most teenage boys, he loves food.”
Bob has been to court twice with his CASA child and to Child Family Team meetings, “He is a very sociable, intelligent, and bright person but I find that in formal situations he sometimes clams up. I find that through our established relationship, I am able to more or less guess what he is thinking and give him prompts to get him to open up in those situations.”
Bob’s CASA youth has been through several placements. “He’s moved a lot. It’s really tough to move homes frequently at 14 years old. It’s just very different from the kind of life most kids experience. I am glad I can be a constant for him during these times.”
As for those considering becoming a CASA volunteer, especially males, Bob says, “I think it’s really important for boys to have male role models they can trust, especially during the teen years so I would encourage any male who is toying with the idea of becoming a CASA to please apply or at least find out more by calling the office.” He adds, “The training is thorough and the staff is incredibly helpful. All you need is a willingness to serve and make a difference.”
