By Jason Evans

Staff Reporter

jevans@thepccourier.com

LIBERTY — More volunteers are needed to serve as guardians ad litem in Pickens County.

Guardians ad litem give a voice to children in the family court system and provide recommendations to judges on their behalf.

Cherie Walker spoke to Pickens County Legislative Delegation members about the guardian ad litem program during their annual meeting Monday.

Walker is the director of county operations for the Cass Elias McCarter Guardian ad Litem program.

“During fiscal year 2017-18, there were 2,200 guardian ad litem volunteers statewide who served over 14,000 South Carolina children,” Walker said. “Here in Pickens County, our volunteers advocated for 557 abused and neglected children.”

Pickens County’s GAL program is the seventh largest in the state in terms of caseload, she said.

“Our volunteers are very dedicated and compassionate,” Walker said. “They all make a difference in the lives of children in our community.”

She shared some examples of the work of guardians ad litem in the community with the delegation “so we can honor them.”

Mitzi Bowles learned a GAL teenager didn’t have a dress to wear to her military ball.

“She donated a brand-new ball gown to the program so that young lady could go to the military ball with a beautiful, quality gown,” Walker said. “Mitzi’s very familiar with the struggles of children in foster care. She grew up in foster care herself at Connie Maxwell, and now she chooses to give back to the program and serve in that way.”

Guardian ad litem Pat Smith remained on a guardian case for six years with multiple children “as they went through the process and were placed and adopted,” Walker said.

“Two of the children initially didn’t want to be adopted,” she said. “She supported that foster parent and those children as they went through that transition. It’s very difficult. Eventually, the children were ready, decided they wanted to be in a forever home and those two children were adopted this year and that case finally closed after six years.”

Guardian ad litem Nika Phipps was a guardian for a 17-year-old girl “who was about to age out of foster care and go into independent living,” Walker said.

Phipps advocated for the teen.

“She provided inspiration, guidance and support to this young lady, and she is now enrolled and doing well at Presbyterian College,” Walker said.

Those success stories highlight the importance of the program, she said.

“It’s so important for these children, statewide and here in Pickens County, to have volunteers so that their voices are heard in family court,” Walker said.

The program actively recruits and trains new volunteers, she said.

“Our goal is that every child that comes into the system has a volunteer guardian ad litem to speak on their behalf,” Walker said.

The time commitment is flexible for GAL work, she said. Volunteers receive 30 hours of free training.

“We screen them,” Walker said. “They need to be 21 years old and pass various background checks.”

The program is particularly interested in recruiting more male volunteers, she said.

“They make wonderful role models for many children that don’t have a male role model in their life,” Walker said.

Those interested in learning more about the guardian ad litem program should visit gal.sc.gov.