In Honor of Mike Elwood
IN HONOR OF MIKE ELWOOD
Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I rise today to acknowledge and honor a very important constituent, as well as a very important program in my State and across the NationCASA for Children. "CASA" is short for Court Appointed Special Advocate, and it is a program that is made up of extraordinary men and women who find it in their hearts to devote their time and energy to help some of the neediest of their community's children. CASAs come from all walks of life, all professions, and all educational and ethnic backgrounds, and their mission is to advocate for the best interests of children who find themselves, through no fault of their own, under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court system.
As we see all too often in public service, far too many children find themselves enmeshed in the juvenile court system due to abuse, neglect or abandonment. Once in the court system, these kids can find themselves cruelly buffeted by legal battles and their parents' continuing poor choices. Some find themselves in multiple foster care situations at a very young age, and many are eventually permanently removed from the care of their birth parents. CASAs serve their communities by becoming an independent advocate for a child as a sworn officer of the court. They spend time with health professionals, teachers, parents, prospective parents, and the children themselves to help the court reach the best possible conclusion for the interests of the child.
CASA came to Oregon in 1985 under the leadership of Judge Stephen Herrell and citizen advocate, Susan Holloway. For Almost 20 years, CASA has trained Oregon volunteers to be the eyes and ears of the court, making independent objective recommendations regarding the best interests of children.
In Oregon, we have a CASA leader who personally exemplifies the very best of my State in his legacy of commitment to the future of Oregon's children. Mike Elwood, who has been both a CASA volunteer and a CASA supervisor in Portland, has served variously as a counselor, advisor, and friend to many of my State. Mike once served as a caseworker in the child welfare system, but later came to CASA because he believed it would be the place where he could make the biggest difference.
Today, Mike suffers from a terminal illness. The CASA organization and all of Oregon has been extraordinary fortunate to have him in their ranks. Mike's co-workers describe him as compassionate, funny, possessing a quiet wisdom, able to interject just the right solution when it appears to elude everyone else, and an inherently decent guy. One CASA represented the feelings of a great many in the organization, saying, "I for one feel blessed to have him in my life. He is the best."
I want to take this opportunity to honor Mike's contributions to my State, to the Nation, and to humanity, and to wish Mike, his wife Natalie, and his two children, Ryan and Andrea, peace and joy in the days ahead. I have witnessed first-hand the ripples that emanate from simply human acts, good and bad. These ripples can reach across families, across borders, and across generations. Mike's ripples have made this world a far better place. I honor his dedicated service and his life, as well as the service rendered by CASA workers and volunteers all across our Nation.