GAL NEWS. Message from District Administrator. Special Points of Interest:

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1 Guardian ad Litem GAL NEWS 4th District Onslow/Jones/Duplin/Sampson April/May/June 2014 Special Points of Interest: p. 1 Message from District Administrator p. 2 Welcome Sabastian M. Ratliff, Jr. p. 2 Awareness Event at Jacksonville Mall p. 3 Calendar, Birthdays, & Anniversaries p. 4 New Volunteers p. 4 April Child Abuse Prevention Month p. 5 Congrats to Thad Toomer p. 5 Summer Camps for GAL Children GAL 4 th District Staff Rusty Brown District Administrator [email protected] Cindi Cunio Program Assistant [email protected] Andy Webb Program Supervisor [email protected] Patrick Giddeons Program Supervisor [email protected] Newsletter Staff Mac Moody [email protected] (910) Message from District Administrator Happy Spring, For the sixth consecutive year, April is recognized as North Carolina Guardian ad Litem (GAL) Child Advocate Month, by proclamation of Governor Pat McCrory. The recognition appropriately coincides with National Child Abuse Prevention Month and National Volunteer Week. On behalf of all the staff of District 4 Guardian ad Litem I would like to say thank you for all that you have done and continue to do for the children in our community. I was reminded recently of the story of the boy on the beach tossing star fish into the ocean. A man stopped the boy and asked him what he was doing. The boy replied that he was saving the star fish that had washed up on the shore. The man suggested that there were thousands of star fish on the beach, thus the boy couldn t make much of a difference. The boy picked up another star fish and threw it far into the ocean and said it makes a difference to that star fish. No matter the number of children that come into our courts, no matter the number of continuances, and no matter the length of the case, we are all making a difference for one child at a time. As we head forward there are some goals being accomplished within the 4 th District Guardian ad Litem Program. The Superhero 5k Race is complete and was a HUGE success thanks to Patrick Giddeons, Megan Markley (intern), the race committee, and all the volunteers and participants. GAL welcomes a new Program Supervisor in Sampson County. Mr. Sabastian Ratliff has joined us recently and will be dedicated to recruiting new volunteers in Sampson and advocating for unassigned children until they receive a GAL. Although sharing his time between District 4 and District 8, Sabastian will be a valuable asset toward our future goal of providing advocacy for 100% of the children in Sampson County. The Outback Steakhouse in Jacksonville hosted GAL s for the eleventh year. Thanks to Outback and to the GAL s who were able to attend this event. Nicole Dozier (intern) has assembled a blue pinwheel garden at the Marine Federal Credit Union to bring attention to Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention in April. Nicole also spearheaded the Jacksonville Mall event on April 26, which included community partners coming together to promote awareness and prevention. With Warm Regards, Rusty Brown District Administrator 5K Children s Race Start

2 Page 2 New Program Supervisor to Be Shared Between Districts 4 and 8 My name is Sabastian M. Ratliff, Jr. I am the newly appointed Program Supervisor for Guardian ad Litem. I will be working in District 8 as well as District 4 supervising Volunteers in Greene and Sampson Counties. My position also calls for me to recruit volunteers in Lenoir, Greene, Wayne and Sampson counties. I was born and raised in Lenoir County and I graduated from Kinston High School class of I attended North Carolina Wesleyan College where I obtained a BA in Business Administration. I obtained my Masters in Counseling Studies from Capella University in I come to Guardian ad Litem with almost 10 years of experience in community outreach and resource development. I began working for GAL on March 24 th and I must say it have been nonstop learning, observing and preparing to make a success out of this new opportunity that I have been given. My goals for the next few months are to work hard to make sure that every child that needs a GAL volunteer has a GAL volunteer to help advocate for their best interests. I look forward to meeting and working with GAL staff, volunteers, local Social Workers, Case Managers, Court Staff, Lawyers and Judges in order to make sure that the kids in our communities get the proper services that they need. OUTBACK VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION The Outback Steakhouse held their annual luncheon for Guardian ad Litem Volunteers and staff on April 2, As usual, servers and staff donated their time to come in and serve excellent steaks with all the trimmings. About twenty volunteers and staff including District Administrator Rusty Brown and Attorney Advocates Ernie Wright and Matt Coxe enjoyed this tribute to the Volunteers. The Guardian ad Litem Program sends a hearty THANK YOU to the whole Outback Steakhouse organization. Child Abuse Awareness Event at the Jacksonville Mall As we have done for more than a dozen years now, the Guardian ad Litem Program will again host several events in observation of National Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month in April. On April 26 th from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM up to a dozen child advocacy agencies gathered in center court of Jacksonville Mall to showcase their programs and services to the public. There was face painting for the children. During the last two weeks of April, a Pinwheel Garden will be planted on the front lawn of Marine Federal Credit Union on Western Boulevard Extension the pinwheels will be blue, the theme color of Child Abuse and Prevention Week. Current Statistics We are currently serving 233 children in Onslow County, 33 Children in Duplin County, 168 children in Sampson County, and 10 children in Jones County. We currently have 134 volunteers district wide to cover a total of 444 children. We continue to need your help to recruit more volunteers. We have exceeded our goal to recruit at 24 new volunteers by the end of the year, and we still have children who need an advocate. Our next training class will begin May 6 th. Please contact the office with referrals.

3 Page 3 Calendar April 2 Outback Steakhouse Volunteer Appreciation Lunch 4 Court in Onslow Co. 5 GALVA Super Hero 5K Race 6 Court in Duplin Co. 7 to 11 Court in Onslow Co. 9 Court in Duplin Co. 10 Court in Sampson Co. 18 Good Friday (Office Closed) 20 Easter 23 Court in Duplin Co. 24 Court in Sampson Co. 24 Court in Onslow Co. 26 Mall Event (Child Abuse Prevention) May 7 Court in Duplin Co. 8 Court in Sampson Co. 8 Court in Onslow Co. 19 to 22 Court in Onslow Co. (4 Day Session) 21 Court in Duplin Co. 22 Court in Sampson Co. 26 Memorial Day (Office Closed) June 4 Court in Duplin Co. 5 Court in Sampson Co. 5 Court in Onslow Co. 9 to 12 Court in Onslow Co. (4 Day Session) 18 Court in Duplin Co. 19 Court in Sampson Co. 27 Court in Onslow Co. Congratulations To Nicole Dozier and Megan Markley. They have completed their internship, and will be graduating in May from UNCW. Birthdays April 3 Glenda Martin Kathy Wilson 4 Mary White 7 Tracie Parks Erin Giles 9 Gordon Meyer 20 Emily DeVoe 21 Juliana Biggers 22 Linda Passingham 26 Faye Mervin Sarah Miller 29 Terry Faison May 2 Georgette Ward 5 Renee Monssen 6 Daniel McLamb 11 Cathy Lagasse Cindi Cunio 12 Betsy Gainus 13 Tiffany Edwards 17 Thad Toomer 18 Trea Perry Janet Morgan 20 Dana Haynes 21 Daphne Williams 22 Jessica Huskey 27 Anna Marrible 28 Ernie Wright 31 Carole Dixon June 4 Barb Carey 8 Mary Alexander 9 Jay Schrader Darryl Peterson Joshua Henderson 10 Christine West 12 Megan Markley 14 Georgette Bert 16 Kimberly Houtz 20 Jeff Clark Susan Camaret 21 Charlie Steinbraker 22 Bill Tapscott 23 Anna Jones Anniversaries April 2007 Ella Lee Smith 2009 Debra Makins Carol Paes 2010 Morag Polaski Gary Ange 2011 Felicia Moore May 2004 Juliana Biggers 2005 Linda Mylan 2007 Deborah Newkirk 2008 Susan Camaret 2009 Joel Churchwell Terry Colligan 2011 Darryl Peterson June 2007 Wayne Aramini 2010 Kristi Walls Sandra Price 2011 Peggy Eckenrode Mike Lechette Alfreda Carmichael 2013 Latoya Belle Emily DeVoe Samantha Hodges Emma Kunzig Christine Parrott If we are to teach real peace in this world, and if we are to carry on a real war against war, we shall have to begin with the children. Mahatma Gandhi

4 Page 4 District 4 got the New Year off to a good start by training and swearing in 9 new GALs. Ariane Argentieri, Carole Dixon, Janet Morgan and Dania Pompey completed training and were sworn in by Judge Seaton on February 19, 2014, followed by Carolyn Geesaman on March 11. All of these volunteers are now working cases. We welcome you and wish you success personal fulfillment in your child advocacy. Welcome New Volunteers New Volunteers Sworn in Sampson and Duplin In Duplin County we would like to welcome Sheri Beck and Georgette Ward. And in Sampson County Jesse Matthews and Beth Smith. All four swore in during December 2013, and are actively working cases. New Volunteers Sworn in Onslow Governor Pat McCrory Proclaims - GUARDIAN AD LITEM CHILD ADVOCATE MONTH For the sixth consecutive year, April will be recognized as North Carolina Guardian ad Litem (GAL) Child Advocate Month, by proclamation of Governor Pat McCrory. The recognition appropriately coincides with National Child Abuse Prevention Month and National Volunteer Week. The proclamation also serves as a reminder of the immense need for more GAL volunteer advocates throughout the state. In 2013, 4,824 GAL volunteer advocates served 15,251 children in North Carolina. However, more volunteers are needed to ensure that every child has someone to speak on his/her behalf. Currently, more than 1,700 children do not have a GAL volunteer to advocate for them in court. Presidential Proclamation -- National Child Abuse Prevention Month, 2014 President Barack Obama proclaimed the month of April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month. This is a time to reflect on child abuse and how it affects every American individually and our Nation as a whole. Not only that, but it is a time to take action, to stand up for the children that can t speak for themselves. The proclamation begins: In the United States of America, every child should have every chance in life, every chance at happiness, and every chance at success. Yet tragically, hundreds of thousands of young Americans shoulder the burden of abuse or neglect. As a Nation, we must do better. During National Child Abuse Prevention Month, we strengthen our resolve to give every young person the security, opportunity, and bright future they deserve. The staff of the Fourth Judicial District would like to thank our volunteers for embracing this proclamation, and for taking action to make a difference in the lives of children. You are making a difference!

5 Page 5 Thad Toomer Receives Volunteer Service Award Thad Toomer (Sampson County) - Toomer volunteers with the Guardian ad Litem Program, where he has donated 30 hours weekly as a child advocate for six years. He trains and mentors each new volunteer in the program and participates in community outreach and education about child abuse prevention. Toomer has been appointed by the courts as the advocate for more than 40 abused or neglected children helping them to have a safe, permanent home. (Volunteer award category: Individual) April is Volunteer Appreciation Month, and in observance the Sampson County Commissioners tonight took the opportunity to join the Clinton Sampson Chamber of Commerce in recognizing two Sampson County citizens for their significant contributions to their community through their volunteer service. The two nominees from Sampson County for the Governor s Volunteer Service Award are Thad Toomer and Cliff Ireland with the people that nominated them, Janna Bass and Patrick Giddeons. See this week's edition of The Sampson Weekly for the full story. with Janna Crawford Bass. GAL TRAINING FOR NEW VOLUNTEERS The next training for Onslow County GALs has been scheduled to begin May 6, These classes usually meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 to 8:30 PM for 5 weeks. New Guardians from this class will be ready to swear in during the June 5, 2014 court session. Since a large percentage of new Guardians come from word of mouth, we urge all current GALs to become recruiters and spread the word. Potential GALs can go to and/or call the office at or Mac Moody at to register for the class. BELK CHARITY DAYS Belk Charity Days are just around the corner. For those who are not familiar, this is the season when Belk s offers tickets to any non-profit organizations such as GALVA, which can sell the tickets for $5.00 each. GALVA keeps the $5.00 as clear profit and the holder of the ticket gets all of his/her money back through discounts on sale day which is Saturday, May 3, This can be a lucrative, risk free venture for GALVA and is a true win/win situation for all. Tickets are now available in the GAL Office. Summer Camps for GAL Children School will soon be out for the summer. Kids are looking forward to it, and parents are dreading it. So, what are your GAL kids doing this summer? We know some are traveling, and some have plans on how they will stay busy. For others there are no plans. It is difficult to make plans when you have not found a permanent placement and your life is on hold. These children need help. They need to have something to look forward to, to keep them busy, and to take their minds off of the uncertainty. The Guardian ad Litem Volunteer Association (GALVA) has funds to assist these children with summer camps or organized sporting activities. If you have a child that could benefit from participating in day camps or other summer activities, let your supervisor know, and we can assist you in accessing the funds. Or you can contact the GALVA board directly with your request. Also it is time to check with the school to find out how the children are progressing academically. It will be more difficult to obtain this information once school is out for summer.

6 Page 6 Guardian ad Litem 625 Court Street Jacksonville, NC Phone: (910) Fax: (910) Changing Lives One Life At A Time Pinwheel Gardens Planted in Jacksonville, NC