We love timing races but we especially love it when they are for a great cause; the CASA Superhero 5k is the epitome of that. This fun and fast 5k is not only an awesome way to spend a Saturday morning (superhero costumes are encouraged!), it directly helps CASA assist vulnerable children in our county and beyond. We chatted with Executive Director Natalie Barrionuevo to learn more about the race a what CASA does in our community.

Can you tell us a little about yourself and your involvement with CASA?

I stepped into the Executive Director role in January of this year. Previous to that I worked as the Advocate Manager and Casemanager. I have been with CASA since 2017 and have truly enjoyed every moment of it.

Would you mind telling us about CASA (the work that you all do in the community, what the name stands for, how long have you all been around, etc.)?

CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) is a local program that works in the court system to advocate for abused and neglected children. We strive to put our volunteers at the forefront serving as advocates for the children we serve. The volunteers are the ones who go into the homes, meet with the children and speak on their behalf in the courtroom. We, as a whole, advocate for the best interest of the child we are serving. We make recommendations for services and needs in the homes that will assist in creating safe, stable environments for the children and their families. CASA has been serving Bradley County since 2010.

Can you tell us a bit about the Superhero 5k?

CASA's Annual Superhero 5k has been around since 2017; it is known as the Superhero 5k because that is what our advocates are. Many of the children we serve have no one in their lives that looks out for them. Our advocates are the superheros that come in and ensure they remain safe and in stable environments where they have the ability to thrive. Also, our donors are superheros as they choose to invest in one of the most vulnerable populations in our community. When you tie in our advocates and our donors, you create an entire community of superheros ensuring our children can thrive. This race helps ensure CASA staff can continue to support the advocates while they serve children and ensures that CASA can continue to meet the demands of the court system.

When and where is the race? How can runners sign up and how much does it cost?

The CASA 5k is going to be held May 14, 2022 at 8am at Greenway Park in Cleveland TN. You can sign up by going to casabp.org/5k and registering for the race. The race is 25.00.

Anything else that you would want to share?

CASA is in need of new advocates. This year has brought an increased set of challenges with an increase in drug dependency in Cleveland comes a higher case load of child abuse and neglect. This means we are serving more children and need more volunteers to do that. If anyone is interested in volunteering they can go to casabp.org and click on volunteer. They can fill out the inteerest form and someone will be in contact with them.