New CASA Director Named

Rhonda Adcock

Judge Kim Hall has named a new CASA Director for Starke County. The new director will be assuming the duties held for the past four years by Ron Henningsmith.

“Rhonda Adcock has been a CASA volunteer with our program for just over a year now and she’s a very capable young lady,” said Henningsmith. “I decided that I need to step aside and let someone else take the reigns at the helm and she has gracefully accepted that challenge.”

Adcock became a child advocate recently, and expressed her feelings about the organization.

“I waited a while to get into the program and the more I’m in it, the more committed I’ve become to the children that the CASA program serves and the families that are involved. It has been amazing to see the good that CASA can do for a family in giving them an advocate in the courtroom for the child and the child’s interest for them to know that someone is there and totally on their side. It has been great for the children that I’ve seen.”

CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates. A CASA volunteer is assigned to represent abused and neglected children in the legal system. CASA volunteers are appointed to be an advocate for a child by a judge. Volunteers stay with each case until it is closed and the child is placed in a safe and permanent home.

There are currently 30 CASA volunteers in Starke County.