Allison Watzek
Meet Allison Watzek. Allison has been married to her husband, Drew, for over 18 years. Together, they have five children, two of whom were adopted through the foster care system, along with two dogs, two cats, and a bearded dragon. Originally from Chesapeake, Virginia, Allison has moved often with the military before eventually settling in Houma, Louisiana, where she has now lived for a total of 10 years. While she loves the culture and hospitality of the area, she’ll admit crawfish still isn’t her thing. In her free time, she loves to read and can often be found at the gym at 5:00am on weekday mornings working out with her friends.
Allison has served as a CASA volunteer for nearly a year and a half. During that time, she has worked on one case and is excited to see it nearing reunification. She first learned about CASA when a volunteer visited her home while she was an active foster parent. The CASA volunteer was a true blessing, and Allison saw firsthand the powerful impact the role can have on a child’s life.
As a CASA volunteer, Allison visits her assigned child monthly and participates in every court hearing related to the case. When preparing for court, she carefully reviews her notes to ensure that nothing goes undocumented. “In a courtroom, you are usually one of the closest people to the child you are representing,” she shares. “It’s a great privilege to be able to speak on their behalf.” Allison has had the special opportunity to watch the young boy on her case grow from an infant into a toddler. Seeing him successfully transition back home is something she will never forget and will carry with her into future cases.
Allison leaves us with this encouragement:
“If you’re thinking about becoming a CASA, just do it! There will never be a perfect time or ideal set of circumstances. There is a child out there right now who would love to have you in their corner.”
