Advocate Spotlight: Logan Yeakel

Meet Logan Yeakel, the January Advocate Spotlight for 2022. Logan began his journey as an advocate for CASA of Luzerne County in May of 2021, however this was not his first volunteer experience. He had previously volunteered with Big Brothers Big Sisters in San Diego, CA.

Logan relocated back to Pennsylvania and is currently in his senior year of college but was inspired to look up CASA of Luzerne County after hearing about it the organization and its mission while in California.

He decided to take the step to become an advocate because he has an understanding that there are people in his community who need help and only a limited number of people make themselves available as volunteers. He wanted to do his part for his “tribe” so-to speak.

Logan advocated for a sibling group and his most memorable experience on the case was seeing the joy on their faces when they were reunified with their parents. The most positive outcome was the return of trust in adults from the children.

Logan would like anyone considering becoming a CASA advocate to just do it! It is worth it to bear witness to a positive impact on your local community. He also wishes more people realize how many children in the Luzerne County foster system could really benefit from a CASA and how few volunteers there actually are.

The most important aspect of advocating for Logan is making sure the children in his community have a voice.

We are grateful to Logan for his commitment to her advocacy. If you’d like to make a difference in the life of a child in the way Logan has, we invite you to join us for an info session to learn more about advocacy and what it means to be a CASA.

Logan is from Allentown, PA. He is the parent of a son and a daughter and a German Shepard.

Advocate Spotlight: Rose Kelly

Meet Rose Kelly, the final Advocate Spotlight for 2021. Rose is new to CASA having started her advocacy in May 2021 but she has certainly embraced her role as a voice for children in Luzerne County.

She advocates for two young girls on two separate cases and is able to meet the needs of both cases and be a support and voice where it is absolutely needed.

Prior to her role as an advocate Rose was a Luzerne County Youth Aid Panel volunteer so she has an understanding of the importance of mentorship and relationship for children. She states that she became a CASA volunteer because she knows the “system” needs to change and this type of personal advocacy can help in making those changes.

Rose wants future CASA volunteer advocates to know that the advocacy they will provide does make a difference in the lives of children and that her experience of hearing the children say to her, “ can you tell the judge….” is empowering to the children and impacts her personally.

She wants people to understand that volunteering as a CASA is important to the community. It is local people working with local children.

The most important aspect of advocating for Rose is truly giving the children a voice and having their wishes heard.

We are grateful to Rose for her continued commitment to her advocacy. If you’d like to make a difference in the life of a child in the way Rose has, we invite you to join us for an info session to learn more about advocacy and what it means to be a CASA.

Rose lives in Hazleton with her husband, Leo. They are the parents of two daughters, Ali and Siobhan and a son, Leo John. Rose is a graduate of Temple University. Go Owls!