Dan Towery sees his volunteer work as a Court Appointed Special Advocate as a natural extension of his work with Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

Six years ago, his daughter Sarah and her boyfriend were killed by a drunken driver, prompting Towery to launch a local chapter of MADD in 2000.

Wednesday night, Towery and 23 others were sworn in by Judge Loretta Rush at Tippecanoe Superior Court 3 as CASA volunteers to be the voices in court for abused and neglected children.

"These kids already have one strike -- in some cases two strikes -- against them," Towery said. "They need help to lead fulfilling lives."

Rush said this is the largest CASA class she has sworn in, and Tippecanoe County needs these volunteers.

As of July 1, state law requires that every Child in Need of Services, or CHINS, case must be appointed a guardian ad litem or CASA.

The Indiana State Office of GAL/CASA was awarded a $50,000 resource development grant from the National CASA Association in June to improve resource development and fundraising skills of local programs.

"It is such an important role -- one of the most important," Rush said about CASA volunteers. "Abused and neglected children are the most needy and vulnerable people in the community."

Rush said 55 children in Tippecanoe County currently do not have a CASA. But she thinks that will change quickly now that there are 24 more CASA volunteers.

In 2004, 90 CASAs represented 360 children in Tippecanoe County.

CASA director Coleen Hamrick said she believes the large class size is due at least in part to the death of 4-year-old Aiyana Gauvin last March and other high-profile abuse cases that have occurred in the past year.

"It's brought to bear all the needs in Tippecanoe County," she said.

CASA volunteers went through 30 hours of training.

Marci Beeks of Lafayette, who was among the volunteers sworn in, said she joined CASA to become more involved in the community and because she grew up in the foster system.

"I have first-hand experience," she said.

Barbara Mobley recently moved back to Lafayette, her hometown, and decided to join CASA as a way to give back to the community now that she's retired.

"We are the voice of the children," she said. "Our entire focus in on the children and what's best for them in the long run."

"I've always wanted to do this," added new CASA Dottie Rausch, who is on the West Lafayette Community School Corp. board. "I can't think of a better way to serve the community than to be the voice for children."

How to help