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Shoe display to create a visual awareness of need for CASA

Photo

Wanda Diderich

JANESVILLE — Court Appointed Special Advocates of Rock County can’t show the faces of the abused and neglected children it serves.

So to illustrate the number of children needing help, CASA is collecting shoes.

CASA needs the community to donate 200 pairs of shoes that would fit all ages of children—from infants through teens—before the end of August.

“We wanted to provide a visual for community members to be able to understand the need in our community regarding the prevalence of abuse and neglect in Rock County,” said Wanda Diderich, CASA program director.

The display hopefully will be pulled together by volunteers during the United Way of North Rock County Celebration of Caring on Sept. 15, she said.

The project theme is: “We can’t walk in their shoes, but we can give them a voice,’’ Diderich said.

The 200 pairs of shoes will represent the number of kids under the jurisdiction of the Rock County juvenile court system, she said.

Of those, 33 pairs will be painted to represent the number of children served by CASA’s 21 volunteers.

The idea is to illustrate the small percentage of kids in Rock County benefiting from CASA volunteers, who have been speaking up in the best interest of children since October 2005, Diderich said.

The display, she said, will serve as the program’s “traveling representative picture of the impact that CASA does have and is yet to have.’’

CASA is asking anyone with experience in photography, banners or billboards to donate their time and resources to help with ideas in creating the concept and how the shoes should be displayed.

“We’d like to get some pictures then maybe we could have a bulletin board and posters made as well,’’ Diderich said.

Those unable to donate shoes or help with the creative process may contact CASA to make arrangements to showcase the display at their business or organization.

“We’d like to travel it so different populations in the community are able to see the visualization and come to learn more about the need for CASA. We are open to taking names,’’ she said.

Diderich suggests those wishing to learn more about abused and neglected children in Rock County visit the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families website where reports and statistics are available.

“They can see how many reports there are in Rock County compared with other counties’ reports of abuse and neglect and the number of cases open from year to year,’’ she said.

“This is another way to get involved,” she said.