Judith Nettles was named the Community Resource Council’s 2021 Person of the Year at its 30th Annual Partnership Luncheon on March 11.
Nettles has volunteered with CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) since she retired from a career in family counseling in 2014. Tim Hicks, the CRC 2020 Person of the Year, said Nettles was chosen “for her devotion to children, innovative thinking and ability to tell the team how things are.”
The award was a surprise for Nettles, who skipped the luncheon to attend a 16th birthday party for one of her children.
“I didn’t even know anything about that,” she said, adding she only found out after congratulations started rolling in.
She has no regrets about prioritizing her CASA teen, however.
“The cool thing was that my young lady, we were celebrating her 16th birthday, had written me a note thanking me for taking her to fun places, and she was looking forward to a lot more adventures. To me that’s the important thing, she enjoyed it,” Nettles said.
CASA volunteers form relationships with children and their foster families to ensure each child’s needs are being met, and to advocate for the child’s best interests in court. Nettles said CASA volunteers also help children “move past their trauma” and find their voices.
“Even when I was at family counseling, all the kids I ever worked with did not feel they had any part in their lives,” she said. “Somebody had made decisions for them from the time (as early as) they could remember, and I think that’s what CASA does is allows them to know that although they may not get what they want, they have an opportunity with their CASA worker to be heard.”
Nettles loves spending time with her CASA kids. She takes them on trips and out to eat, making sure they get to build the same memories children in stable families do.
“My goal is to give them opportunities that they either have not had, or probably will not have while they’re in care, because normal kids get to go places... And our children don’t.”
She recalled one boy who was known among CASA members as the loneliest child in the district. Every month, Nettles and a coworker took him wherever he wanted to go, to make some happy memories. Today, Nettles said he has grown emotionally and is in guardianship. Another one of Nettle’s former charges recently messaged to say she had completed her own CASA training in Florida.
“I’m incredibly proud of her,” Nettles said.
Nettles has served 17 children in her time with CASA, and has no plans to stop.
“There are times that I think, enough’s enough. And then I realize that it’s not enough as long as a child needs a voice. I mean, if they don’t have CASA, who’s going to speak for them? I’ll probably be doing this when I’m 100,” she said.
Nettles was also named CASA’s 2021 Volunteer of the Year in January.