CASA kicks off annual 'No Show Gala'

Christie Netherton, Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.
·2 min read

Apr. 16—Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of the Ohio Valley will kick off its third annual "No Show Gala" starting Sunday as part of National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

CASA of the Ohio Valley was established in 1996 and serves Daviess and McLean counties. In 2020 alone, CASA cited at least 600 children facing abuse and neglect in its service area, which represents only a handful of cases, according to information provided by CASA.

The No Show Gala is a unique event that calls on community members and supporters of CASA to attend its non-event by donating what they would have spent on a new dress, shoes or childcare toward the cause rather than actually attending an event.

Not only does this benefit those who are bogged down with tight schedules, according to Executive Director Rosemary Conder, but it also alleviates any overhead cost to host an event, allowing for 100% of donations to go toward helping children in the community who face abuse and neglect.

"It was very cost-effective to us and valuable to us because at the end of the day, what we need to do is employ more volunteers to be advocates for our children and have more people believe in our mission so that we can continue our work," Conder said. "Everything that we get goes directly to the kids."

The first year CASA held the no-show events, Conder said several thousand dollars were donated to benefit children in the community.

Event organizers have developed a "giving guide" to help donors consider contributions. The guide lists the typical cost of a new pair of shoes — $50 — suggesting the same amount could, instead, be donated to CASA to help provide toiletries and a stuffed animal for a child being sent to a new foster home.

Donors are also asked to post a photo of themselves on social media and tag CASA of the Ohio Valley to show where they are and what they are doing while contributing to the cause.

The "No Show Gala" will run from Sunday to April 25.

Anyone wishing to donate can do so online by visiting CASAOV.org/Donate or mail checks to the CASA office at 608 Frederica St., Suite 100A, Owensboro, KY, 42301.

"We are grateful for the community support. This is our 25th year in Daviess County and we are growing, thriving and have over 60 wonderful volunteers," Conder said.

Christie Netherton, cnetherton@messenger-inquirer.com, 270-691-7360