Over the weekend, Casablanca came to Annapolis for one enchanting evening at the Loews Hotel. The charitable annual fundraiser for Anne Arundel County CASA was marked by many smiles, as guests enjoyed Moroccan cuisine, cocktails and great company. The night included a dance performance courtesy of children from the Maryland Performing Arts Center, live music, a 50/50 cash raffle and a high-energy live auction that helped raise over twenty thousand dollars for the organization that plays an instrumental role in the lives of foster children in our community.
Anne Arundel County CASA provides advocates for abused and neglected children who have entered the foster care system, and collaborates with other organizations like the Department of Social Services to ensure each child is matched with a “CASA” or “court appointed special advocate.” Some CASA’s, like Tracy Kirchner (also a case supervisor), have worked with many children over the years, and continue to stay in touch with the kids long after they are out of the foster care system. From regularly visiting with a child and preparing written court reports to information gathering and ensuring the child’s wishes are communicated to the judges, the advocates at CASA play an instrumental role in each child’s life. It costs about three thousand dollars to provide a child in Anne Arundel County with a CASA for one year, so the annual fundraiser is an important evening for the organization. (continue reading below)
The live auction, led by the entertaining Jeff Heisy was a great success, and included a “Girl’s Just Want to Have Fun” package ($500 gift certificate to Casa Nova, $50 gift certificate to Alpaca International, a Hobo wristlet, and a $100 gift certificate to Sly Fox Pub), a beautiful, custom Knaggs guitar signed by founders Joseph S. Knaggs and Peter Wolf (Knaggs influence series Keya T3 model in Medoc, which features a carved mahogany body and a 24 fret mahogany neck), and several other tempting packages and items. The silent auction featured an array of offerings including golf outings, autographed sports memorabilia, jewelry, wine tastings and more. The room was buzzing with beautifully dressed ladies and gents bidding on silent auction items and having their pictures taken in the Casablanca-inspired space.
Rebecca Tingle, the Executive Director of Anne Arundel County and Christopher D. Buck, the Board President, presented three awards throughout the course of the evening. The Corporate Commitment Award was given to TeleCommunication Systems, a secure mobile communication tech company in Annapolis that has contributed over $30,000 since 2009. The CASA Caring Heart Award was given to Robert G. Wallace who was a founding member of Anne Arundel County CASA and has served as Board President, speaker and advocate, among other valuable roles. The Community Leadership Award went to the Annapolis Rotary Club, a local organization that donated over $48,000 to Anne Arundel County CASA since 1997, through grant awards and funds raised through the annual Crab Feast.
For more information on CASA, volunteer opportunities or to make a donation please visit the Anne Arundel CASA website.
