CASA Board of Directors President Recognized for Community Service
Sheila Edmondson, president of the Board of Directors for Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)/Prince George’s County, earned recognition March 13 as part of a special service to honor community leaders and elected officials in Prince George’s County and the State of Maryland.
“We appreciate the great work you are doing in the community, because we know it is not easy,” Rev. Kevin W. Johnson, senior pastor of the Accokeek First Church of God, told Edmondson and 15 other women selected by the church to be recognized as part of National Women’s History Month. Johnson and Rev. Andrew Johnson, associate pastor, recognized the women with special certificates during the church’s morning worship service.
Since 1995, Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama have issued a series of annual proclamations designating the month of March as “Women’s History Month.” Efforts from each president have been a result of laws passed by Congress mandating that the president issue the proclamations.
Reading from a proclamation from President Barack Obama, Johnson told the crowd, “Women have spurred change in communities around the world.”
While serving on the CASA Board of Directors for the past eight years, Edmondson has advocated to make a difference in the lives of children who are abused and neglected.
“I have recognized the strong need for young girls and women in Prince George’s County to have positive role models. CASA serves about 25 percent of the over 500 youth in the Prince George’s County foster care system and approximately half of those served are girls and young women. We know firsthand that girls and young women in the foster care system are particularly vulnerable,” said Edmondson.
Edmondson, however, along with CASA volunteers and staff plan to continue making a difference in the lives of youth living in foster care with the aim of returning them to safe, nurturing and permanent homes.
“With hard work and determination, there is nothing out of reach,” Rev. Kevin W. Johnson observed.
Photo credit: Kristin Collins
From left to right: Rev. Kevin W. Johnson, senior pastor; Sheila Edmondson, CASA Board of Directors President; and Rev. Andrew Johnson, associate pastor.
