Playhouse raffle vital to CASA's efforts to protect local children

DECATUR — A small house with a spire protruding from the top sits on the west side of Central Park in Decatur.

A yellow wooden submarine also welcomes visitors to take a look in the Mr. Lincoln Square in Clinton.

Both structures, ideal to bringing children’s active imaginations to life, are the highlight of the 21st annual CASA Playhouse Raffle.

CASA, or Court Appointed Special Advocates, provides resources and support for children in the court system. “It is important for kids in foster care to have that person to watch over their case and be an objective viewpoint … from beginning to end,” Blaine Smith said about the volunteers. “That child gets us throughout their whole, entire case.”

The CASA Playhouse Raffle is one of the biggest fundraisers for the organization.

Tickets, starting at $5 for one entry, are available until the day of the drawing through the Macon County CASA website and the Brinkoetter Realtors website. The drawing will be June 16.

“You get to pick, when you buy tickets, whether you want your ticket put into the raffle for the Research Submarine or the raffle for the Sorcerer's Spire,” Smith said.

Although she was recently hired as the executive director, Smith was familiar with the playhouse fundraiser. “I’ve always bought tickets,” said the mother of two. “But seeing how the community comes together is so cool.”

Before the raffle tickets were available more than a month ago, the community voted on their two favorites from a selection of six. “They liked the castle idea,” Smith said. “And the submarine is the coolest.”

The designs were submitted by architects from BLDD in Decatur. According to Lori McDaniel, CASA recruitment and retention manager, other CASA organizations take part in the Playhouse Raffles. “But for 21 years, we’ve been doing this almost since the beginning,” she said. “It’s become an iconic event for CASA and Decatur and the surrounding community.”

In 2022, CASA expanded to serve children in DeWitt County, which gave the organization the opportunity to add a playhouse in a park there. “It’s important because we do have a presence in Clinton,” McDaniel said. “We show our support there as well.”

The funds from the raffle help support CASA, which include training and recruiting volunteers.

“We are fully self-sustaining,” McDaniel said.

The designs are the result of a brainstorming session with the architects. “Then we present them to the community so they can vote,” McDaniel said.

Greg Butler and his sons, Graham, 7, and Caius, 6, designed the Research Submarine. “The last one we worked on together that got built was the monster truck, which was two years ago,” he said. “They are very helpful in getting the thing scaled right, with door heights and windows. They become fill-in models as I pull out the tape measure.”

Butler said designing the miniature structures is a passion of his. “I’ve got some family connections to CASA,” he said. “I relished the opportunity to give back and leverage my gift for such a good cause.”

Adding his young sons to the project designs has been beneficial for the family as well. “It gives them a taste of what dad does,” Butler said. “And as a child it’s always fun to work with your dad.”

The boys get to see the process of working with the builders and planning materials. It is a collaborative effort, their dad said.

“Their favorite part is to pick the colors and all of the accessories and what would truly bring the thing to life,” Butler said.

Shaner’s Towing will deliver the houses to the winning locations in Central Illinois.

According to the CASA organizers, some winners from past raffles have donated the house to a CASA child. “We do a random drawing of all of our CASA kids, and that kid will get it,” Smith said. “It goes back to the community aspect. Decatur is amazing about that.”

The inside of the Sorcerer’s Spire has a fireplace painted on the wall and laminate floors to look like real wood. Although it is locked up for protection, it will be open for viewing during the Macon County Fair beginning Wednesday at the fairground’s entrance.

“It will be right next to our booth,” Smith said.