{"id":793324,"date":"2019-02-21T16:40:00","date_gmt":"2019-02-21T23:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/casa-of-the-continental-divide-marks-20-years-of-helping-abuse-victims-with-harrowing-inspiring-stories\/"},"modified":"2019-02-25T10:31:43","modified_gmt":"2019-02-25T17:31:43","slug":"casa-of-the-continental-divide-marks-20-years-of-helping-abuse-victims-with-harrowing-inspiring-stories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/local-news\/casa-of-the-continental-divide-marks-20-years-of-helping-abuse-victims-with-harrowing-inspiring-stories\/","title":{"rendered":"CASA of the Continental Divide marks 20 years of helping abuse victims with harrowing, inspiring stories"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"swift-gallery\">\n<ul id=\"imageGallery-360378-353\" class=\"gallery list-unstyled\">\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/02\/CASA-SDN-022219-5-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/02\/CASA-SDN-022219-5.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Eli Pace \/ epace@summitdaily.com | Amy Geppi gives her adopted 6-year-old daughter, Lily, a hug after Lily thanked CASA of the Continental Divide during the nonprofit\u2019s celebration dinner Wednesday night at the Silverthorne Pavilion.\" class=\"h-100\">\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\" readability=\"8\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/02\/CASA-SDN-022219-5.jpg\" alt=\"Amy Geppi gives her adopted 6-year-old daughter, Lily, a hug after Lily thanked CASA of the Continental Divide during the nonprofit\u2019s celebration dinner Wednesday night at the Silverthorne Pavilion.\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"11\">\n<p><strong>Amy Geppi gives her adopted 6-year-old daughter, Lily, a hug after Lily thanked CASA of the Continental Divide during the nonprofit\u2019s celebration dinner Wednesday night at the Silverthorne Pavilion.<\/strong><br \/>Eli Pace \/ epace@summitdaily.com<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/02\/CASA-SDN-022219-5-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/02\/CASA-SDN-022219-5-1.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Eli Pace \/ epace@summitdaily.com | Jewel Arledge talks about how a court-appointed special advocate helped her escape an abusive childhood Wednesday night during CASA of the Continental Divide\u2019s celebration dinner at the Silverthorne Pavilion.\" class=\"h-100\">\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\" readability=\"7\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/02\/CASA-SDN-022219-5-1.jpg\" alt=\"Jewel Arledge talks about how a court-appointed special advocate helped her escape an abusive childhood Wednesday night during CASA of the Continental Divide\u2019s celebration dinner at the Silverthorne Pavilion.\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"9\">\n<p><strong>Jewel Arledge talks about how a court-appointed special advocate helped her escape an abusive childhood Wednesday night during CASA of the Continental Divide\u2019s celebration dinner at the Silverthorne Pavilion.<\/strong><br \/>Eli Pace \/ epace@summitdaily.com<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/02\/CASA-SDN-022219-5-2-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/02\/CASA-SDN-022219-5-2.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Eli Pace \/ epace@summitdaily.com | Jewel Arledge talks about how a court-appointed special advocate helped her escape an abusive childhood Wednesday night during CASA of the Continental Divide\u2019s celebration dinner at the Silverthorne Pavilion.\" class=\"h-100\">\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\" readability=\"7\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/02\/CASA-SDN-022219-5-2.jpg\" alt=\"Jewel Arledge talks about how a court-appointed special advocate helped her escape an abusive childhood Wednesday night during CASA of the Continental Divide\u2019s celebration dinner at the Silverthorne Pavilion.\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"9\">\n<p><strong>Jewel Arledge talks about how a court-appointed special advocate helped her escape an abusive childhood Wednesday night during CASA of the Continental Divide\u2019s celebration dinner at the Silverthorne Pavilion.<\/strong><br \/>Eli Pace \/ epace@summitdaily.com<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/02\/CASA-SDN-022219-5-3-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/02\/CASA-SDN-022219-5-3.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Eli Pace \/ epace@summitdaily.com | Amy Geppi talks about how the nonprofit helped her and her husband adopt a 6-year-old daughter, Lily, during CASA of the Continental Divide\u2019s celebration dinner Wednesday night at the Silverthorne Pavilion.\" class=\"h-100\">\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\" readability=\"8\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/02\/CASA-SDN-022219-5-3.jpg\" alt=\"Amy Geppi talks about how the nonprofit helped her and her husband adopt a 6-year-old daughter, Lily, during CASA of the Continental Divide\u2019s celebration dinner Wednesday night at the Silverthorne Pavilion.\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"11\">\n<p><strong>Amy Geppi talks about how the nonprofit helped her and her husband adopt a 6-year-old daughter, Lily, during CASA of the Continental Divide\u2019s celebration dinner Wednesday night at the Silverthorne Pavilion.<\/strong><br \/>Eli Pace \/ epace@summitdaily.com<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/02\/CASA-SDN-022219-5-4-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/02\/CASA-SDN-022219-5-4.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Eli Pace \/ epace@summitdaily.com | Six-year-old Lily, who was adopted by Amy Geppi and Bary Rubenstein in 2012, thanks the crowd assembled Wednesday at the Silverthorne Pavilion for CASA of the Continental Divide\u2019s celebration dinner.\" class=\"h-100\">\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\" readability=\"8\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/02\/CASA-SDN-022219-5-4.jpg\" alt=\"Six-year-old Lily, who was adopted by Amy Geppi and Bary Rubenstein in 2012, thanks the crowd assembled Wednesday at the Silverthorne Pavilion for CASA of the Continental Divide\u2019s celebration dinner.\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"11\">\n<p><strong>Six-year-old Lily, who was adopted by Amy Geppi and Bary Rubenstein in 2012, thanks the crowd assembled Wednesday at the Silverthorne Pavilion for CASA of the Continental Divide\u2019s celebration dinner.<\/strong><br \/>Eli Pace \/ epace@summitdaily.com<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/02\/CASA-SDN-022219-5-5-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/02\/CASA-SDN-022219-5-5.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Eli Pace \/ epace@summitdaily.com | Six-year-old Lily smiles while holding up a note card that says \u201cThank You CASA\u201d on the back of it as her adoptive mom, Amy Geppi, talks about how a court-appointed special advocated helped with the adoption Wednesday during CASA of the Continental Divide\u2019s celebration dinner at the Silverthorne Pavilion.\" class=\"h-100\">\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\" readability=\"8.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.summitdaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/02\/CASA-SDN-022219-5-5.jpg\" alt=\"Six-year-old Lily smiles while holding up a note card that says \u201cThank You CASA\u201d on the back of it as her adoptive mom, Amy Geppi, talks about how a court-appointed special advocated helped with the adoption Wednesday during CASA of the Continental Divide\u2019s celebration dinner at the Silverthorne Pavilion.\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"12\">\n<p><strong>Six-year-old Lily smiles while holding up a note card that says \u201cThank You CASA\u201d on the back of it as her adoptive mom, Amy Geppi, talks about how a court-appointed special advocated helped with the adoption Wednesday during CASA of the Continental Divide\u2019s celebration dinner at the Silverthorne Pavilion.<\/strong><br \/>Eli Pace \/ epace@summitdaily.com<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Speaking with confidence and grace, Jewel Arledge stood before a roomful of people Wednesday night at the Silverthorne Pavilion and recounted the hell that was her childhood.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Now 20, Arledge works two jobs as she takes classes full-time at Red Rocks Community College. She\u2019ll soon transfer to Metropolitan State University of Denver, where she\u2019ll pursue a double major, and she has designs on chasing a doctorate degree in corporate law after that.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI\u2019m not slowing down anytime soon,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Arledge was one of several guest speakers Wednesday night as <a id=\"N0x1a1ba20N0x197b630:N0x1a1ba20N0x1957590\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mtncasa.org\/\">CASA of the Continental Divide<\/a> celebrated its 20th birthday, thanked its donors and honored two of its success stories.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">But life wasn\u2019t always this good for the super-busy college student. She was mistreated, belittled, neglected and emotionally and physically abused after her biological father was sent to prison when she was just 2 years old and her family torn apart.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The perpetrator was her mother, whom Arledge described as an unstable drug addict and alcoholic who suffered from mental and physical illness as she exposed her children to \u201cevery form of abuse imaginable\u201d until Arledge was put in foster care at age 15.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">As bad as things were for her, Arledge stood before the roomful of local professionals, court-appointed special advocates, courtroom officials and nonprofit supporters as a shining, smiling example of the work CASA does.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Arledge said a court-appointed special advocate is someone who voluntarily enters the life of an abused child, but hers was so much more. And Arledge thinks that CASA\u2019s work is more valuable because it comes from volunteers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Going through the foster care system, Arledge said, she felt like nothing more than a name on a file.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cMy CASA didn\u2019t do that,\u201d she recalled. \u201cIt was about who I was, where I was and where I wanted to be. It was so personalized, I never felt like I was just another file on her shelf.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">CASA of the Continental Divide trains volunteers to become advocates for children who fall victim to abuse and neglect. Volunteers are screened before receiving comprehensive training, including being educated in the roles of the Department of Human Services, judicial system and many of the community resources available to the children and families involved in these cases.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The volunteers, or CASAs, appointed by courts generally work on one case at a time, and they\u2019re tasked with providing factual, unbiased information about a child\u2019s situation that helps the court make more informed decisions in the best interest of that \u201ckiddo,\u201d to borrow some of Arledge\u2019s language.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The night\u2019s second speaker, Mark Thompson, chief justice of the 5th Judicial District, referred to CASA\u2019s volunteers as the \u201ceyes and ears\u201d of the court, someone who\u2019s removed from the court system, the abusers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cThey\u2019re a friend, and that\u2019s what (the children) need,\u201d he said breaking up into tears. \u201cI look at Jewel, and I think about all the little kids that I\u2019ve seen in my courtroom over the years, and I can only hope they can find the same path as her.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Doug DeLong, executive director of CASA of the Continental Divide, said the nonprofit has 32 active cases, and its volunteers typically spend about 18 months working a case, though that can vary depending on the child\u2019s age and situation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">He said he\u2019s proud of the work the volunteers and CASA staff does, as he added that the nonprofit currently has 36 volunteers and will be adding seven new ones after Feb. 28. Still, that\u2019s not nearly enough.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">After Arledge spoke, Summit County local Amy Geppi took the mic and talked about the blessing she and husband Barry Rubenstein received when they successfully adopted a girl named Lily in December 2012 with CASA\u2019s help.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">While Geppi addressed the crowd, Lily stood by her adoptive mother\u2019s side, peering over a note card with the words \u201cThank you CASA\u201d inscribed on the back. After Geppi was done, she passed the mic to her 6-year-old daughter, who wanted to say a few words herself.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI love my mom and dad because they are so kind to me, and nice, and they\u2019re also caring and sharing,\u201d Lily said. \u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Every situation is different, but these children need their advocates. After suffering all the verbal and physical assaults, Arledge said, she knows she won\u2019t grow up to be like her mother.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cMy whole life I have faced adversity, and I choose to survive,\u201d Arledge explained. \u201cRather than letting the odds I face oppress me, I allowed it spark a vicious fire inside, consuming all my fears, doubts and insecurities, turning them to ash and allowing me rise each day with purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">And she didn\u2019t get here alone.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cCASA and (the volunteers) behind it, I don\u2019t think people understand how crucial they are in children\u2019s lives,\u201d Arledge said.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.summitdaily.com\/news\/casa-of-the-continental-divide-marks-20-years-of-helping-abuse-victims-with-harrowing-inspiring-stories\/\" target=\"_blank\">via:: Summit Daily<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Amy Geppi gives her adopted 6-year-old daughter, Lily, a hug after Lily thanked CASA of the Continental Divide during the nonprofit\u2019s celebration dinner Wednesday night at the Silverthorne Pavilion.Eli Pace \/ epace@summitdaily.com Jewel Arledge talks about how a court-appointed special advocate helped her escape an abusive childhood Wednesday night during CASA of the Continental Divide\u2019s [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[99],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-793324","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-local-news"},"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-06-13 19:24:19","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSMT The Mountain","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/793324","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=793324"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/793324\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=793324"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=793324"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=793324"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}