CASA Fundraiser ‘In Her Shoes’ is Saturday in Sedalia

The “In Her Shoes” fundraiser for CASA (Citizens Against Spouse Abuse Inc.) is set for 6 - 10 p.m. Saturday, June 25 at the Fox Theater in downtown Sedalia. CASA is raising money for operational expenses and facility maintenance.

“This is our second annual ‘In Her Shoes’ event,” said Lori Haney, Executive Director of CASA. “It is a girls’ night out to help raise money for CASA. It’s an event to sip, savor and shop. Tickets include free wine and beer, food catered by The Ivory Grille, and a lot of fun and games to raise money for CASA.”

Area vendors will be selling items. An additional fundraiser will send one patron home with a Cornwell tool box provided by Waterloo and a custom wrap for the tool box provided by Impact Signs and Lighting. Men are able to attend the event. Some men from the community will be waiting tables for the ladies.

“A lot of these are the men that our partners in our work to try and end rape and abuse in our community,” Haney said. “I just got confirmation this week that Mayor Stephen Galliher, who was there last year, will be back this year.”

CASA is a local organization that strives to help survivors of rape and abuse. CASA provides resources for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

“We provide a shelter that houses 40 to 45 women and children at any given time,” Haney said. “So, if it’s not safe for you to be in your home any longer, due to the abuse that is occurring in your home, you can come out and stay at CASA.”

CASA offers services including court advocacy, Spanish language access programming, volunteer coordination and free therapy. These programs are available for men, women and children.

“Men certainly can be survivors as well,” Haney said. “What I’ve seen over the years is that it’s a little harder for male survivors to come forward because men aren’t supposed to be abused by our society’s standards. Unfortunately, one-in-four women and one-in-seven men will be the victim of rape and abuse in their lifetime.”

The Sedalia-Pettis County United Way has forged a partnership with CASA. The United Way provides CASA with grants that assist with facility upkeep and other costs associated with their program’s operational expenses.

“A not-for-profit has the same expenses that a business does,” said Staci Harrison, Executive Director of Sedalia-Pettis County United Way. “It’s just a different tax classification. So, the upkeep of facilities and infrastructure of the business is vital.”

The Sedalia-Pettis County United Way funds 20 organizations in Pettis County. CASA is a United Way funded partner.

“Come August, there will be an agency agreement that we create between the two organizations,” Harrison said. “We’re not able to do the work that we do in Pettis County without our funded partners, and our funded partners rely on the funding that we receive locally from our community to do their work.”

Advance tickets are $50 each or $350 for a table of eight. Tickets are available at WK Chevrolet, Sisters and Co., or the Katy Depot. Tickets will only be available at the door if the event is not already sold out. For more information, call Lori Haney at (660) 827-5559.