Pies at ‘Palooza’: One piece of fundraising success
Erica Dekko and Tim Kochanski were the two winning bidders of two pies auctioned at CASA Palooza, Northeastern Indiana Casa’s annual fundraising event. The auction was held in April and raised more than $55K from live and silent auctions and ticket sales.
ALBION – Northeastern Indiana CASA held its annual fundraising event Friday, April 28th where two auctioned pies took the cake.
CASA Palooza is the nonprofit’s event that features silent and live auction items. This year, two pies brought competitive bids from those in attendance. Donated by Noble County Sheriff Max Weber and LaGrange County Sheriff Tracy Harker, the homemade pies created a friendly duel between the two county officials.
The winning bidders were Erica Dekko and Tim Kochanski who later taste tested both pies and declared the sweet treats “tied.”
Along with tickets to a Cubs game, inflatable paddle boards and more, the live auction combined with ticket sales and silent auction items, brought more than $55K for the nonprofit.
“We look forward to the live auction. It always gets a bit competitive which makes it a lot of fun,” said Board Member Kristi Bachman. “I am always touched by the live giving portion where folks choose to give a donation for our mission. At the end of the night, everyone has had a chance to give. The generosity of those that attended this year’s Palooza was overwhelming.”
Northeastern Indiana CASA provides court-appointed advocates for children involved in judicial proceedings. Community members from DeKalb, Lagrange, Noble, Steuben and Whitley counties volunteer their time to be an advocate, working with children to be a voice for them and their best interests in the courtroom.
Before the live bidding got underway, a brief video was played that offered an overview of CASA’s mission and impact. Bachman shared some of what she’s witnessed while previously working for, and now volunteering with, the organization.
“These children need us to speak up for them,” Bachman said. “In the five counties we serve, children are waiting for volunteers to be a voice for them as their futures hang in the balance. When a CASA gets involved with a child, their story changes. They aren’t victims to the circumstances that surround them. They have fighting chance for something better.”
While Palooza’s goal is to raise funds, online giving is available all year long. Volunteer efforts are needed throughout the year as well.
“In the past we were proud to say we didn’t have children waiting for a CASA to work with, but now we are back to having that wait list. We need more volunteers.” Bachman said.
Northeastern Indiana CASA currently serves more than 200 children and is the only five-county program in the state of Indiana. Nationwide, the organization has more than 1,000 program offices in 49 states and more than 700,000 volunteers.
To learn more about Northeastern Indiana CASA and volunteer opportunities, visit www.neincasa.net or call 260-636-6101.
