Five-year-old’s birthday proceeds donated to support CASA program

When four-year-old Ted Norton of Pullman learned, for the first time, that some children go without food or shelter overseas, it brought up some questions.

Does that happen here? And can he help them?

The resulting answers led little Norton to donate all the proceeds from his fifth birthday party to Whitman County’s Court Appointed Special Advocates program (CASA).

A check for $250 will soon make its way to the CASA office and the money will help out with the many needs facing foster children in the Whitman County court system.

“These birthday parties can produce quite a lot of toys. We talked about did he really need all those toys?” said Christine Wall, Norton’s mother and the executive director of Alternatives to Violence on the Palouse.

She added Norton decided to ask his peers for donations to CASA in lieu of presents- but only after thinking it over for a few days. And double-checking to see if he still got a party.

“I think he had a super amount of fun. And he did not get lots and lots of gifts which I think is good. He certainly felt proud in being able to help other children,” Wall said.

Norton’s birthday was April 13 and his party the 16th. Wall said he still received many gifts and she had a special cake baked for him in the shape of the peace-sign.

“Last year it was rockets and robots,” she said.

Jill Wahl, program coordinator for CASA, said she was touched when she found out about the donation.

CASA, which has an office on the second floor of the county courthouse, is a court-based organization that appoints volunteer advocates to help children through the court and foster care system. Donations are made to Friends of CASA, a non-profit that performs regular fundraisers for CASA.

With a yearly average of 35 children, program volunteers support the children in the court system, working to find safe and permanent homes for them, Wahl said. A $250 check can go a long way toward helping children in the program.

Children can be moved into foster care for many reasons, including neglect or parents not being able to manage.

A CASA volunteer is assigned to a child when they enter the court system and works to help them in court. CASA is a national program that operates on both the state and county level throughout the United States.