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Area 16 Rotary clubs (named below) worked together to create a unique Rotary themed table for the annual Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) fundraiser, "Come to the Table." 
CASA provides a powerful voice for abused and neglected children in the foster care system. Today there are more than 110 children in the Chautauqua County foster care system—toddlers who have been removed from their families because of abuse, abandonment or worse; children who have lost their parents and often been separated from their brothers and sisters; young teens who have had to change homes and schools six or seven times because they are shuffled between different temporary living situations.CASA of Chautauqua County Inc., trains and supports court appointed, adult volunteers that advocate for children in the foster care system. They fight for the child's rights and needs until they are in safe, loving, permanent homes. The "Come to the Table," fundraiser is a widely anticipated and well attended annual event where attendees bid on tables during a live auction. Each Rotary club in Chautauqua County purchased $100 worth of gift certificates from local restaurants and AG Michele Starwalt -Woods created a yellow and blue table featuring photos from each Area 16 club, a plastic place setting for 25 people complete with plastic gold knives, forks, and spoons, local wine from 21 Brix Winery, craft beer from Ellicott Brewing Company, and even a book titled "The Power of Serving Others," by Gary Morsch and Dean Nelson. Rotary flyers were available to attendees which featured service projects, contact information, and website links for each club, as well as D7090 and Rotary International. The table was auctioned off for $775, significantly higher than the original total donation cost.
AG Michele once served on the CASA Board several years ago, and asked Amber Rinehart (Right in photo) to assist with a video project for CASA. Amber fell in love with the mission of CASA and she and her spouse adopted three children that were in the foster care system. Had it not been for CASA, the three siblings would have been parted in hopes to be adopted by three separate families.
The five Rotary Clubs of Dunkirk-Fredonia, Falconer, Greater Jamestown AM, Jamestown, and Westfield-Mayvlle all participated in this project which AG Michele viewed as her swan song, now that her 3-year term of AG has come to an end.
To learn more about CASA of Chautauqua County, please visit chautauquacasa.com