SANDPOINT - A large number children around the world are not given the opportunity to fully develop to their potential because of abuse and neglect, and Marilyn Roberton has spent the last seven years doing her part to reverse that.

As a Court Appointed Special Advocate, Robertson and her fellow volunteers work to represent the best interest of neglected and abandoned children in court.

Robertson's work is worthy of praise, but more like her are needed, said local CASA vounter coordinator Judy Labrie.

Because of that need, CASA will begin training volunteers in Sandpoint this May.

The 30-year-old CASA program was born out of Seattle Judge David Soukup's need for more time with the children he saw in child custody cases.

Realizing the 15 minutes he had to spend on each case was not enough to adequately decide the fate of an abused, neglected or abandoned child, Soukup recruited a group of volunteers to look into each child's circumstances and make recommendations based on their findings.

The program now has a network of more than 50,000 volunteers serving 225,000 children through more than 900 local offices nationwide

Bonner and Boundary counties have a combined 13 volunteers, but Labrie would like to see at least 10 more.

Although all interested parties are encouraged to volunteer, Robertson said it takes an objective eye and the ability to see negative situations without getting too emotionally distressed to be successful.

The work is unpaid, but Robertson sees countless benefits to volunteering in the program.

“Because it's with children, there's a sense of satisfaction when you see a child with adoptive or natural parents developing a relationship,” Robertson said.

Training sessions take six evenings and two Saturdays, and every prospective trainee must pass a background check and interview before they begin said Labrie.

There is no fee to participate in training, and Labrie hopes to draw interest from all surrounding communities, but she is particularly hopeful that residents of Priest River will come forward. Priest River does not currently have a CASA volunteer.

For more information on the program, contact Judy Labrie at (208) 255-7408 or Sabina Zajac at (208) 667-9165.