Volunteer Spotlight: Kay Bylenga & Barb Zylstra

This edition of CASA Connect, we’re featuring a special co-CASA duo: longtime friends Kay Bylenga and Barb Zylstra. Both Kay and Barb have been committed advocates, ambassadors, and supporters of CASA’s mission in many ways. We are honored to spotlight their CASA journeys this quarter.* Thank you for your dedication to child advocacy, ladies!

Why did you decide to become a CASA volunteer?

Kay: Volunteering was always something I felt strongly about. My mother and father taught me that you should always give back to others. That lesson feels engrained in my soul. After working in the community throughout my life, I was drawn to CASA. The role let me use my passion of helping vulnerable children and gave me the opportunity to make a real difference supporting family court judges directly.

Barb: I retired in 2017. I had been working with children in a homeless shelter. I knew I wanted to find a larger volunteer role in my retirement. I’ve always had a heart for children–CASA was the right fit for me.

Kay: I met Barb when I was working with Interfaith Hospitality Network, now Family Promise, and we got connected. We became such close friends. I kept telling her she should join me and become a CASA volunteer, too. Eventually, we decided we should work together on a case. Now, we’re on our third case as a CASA team!

What is something you learned in CASA training?

Kay: Oh, wow–that was a lifetime ago! I did my training in the same class as Program Manager Kari Frederick–you can look up what year that was.

Barb: Something that stood out to me was the need for advocacy and the gaps in the child welfare system. Unfortunately, some children are left behind due to the overwhelm of the system, which is where CASA advocacy can play a key role.

Kay: What really struck me about CASA training was the emphasis that this program is for the child. Most other agencies in child welfare are answering to lots of people and have many important rules to follow. CASA volunteers can streamline the process and focus just on being the voice for the child straight to the judge.

What is your favorite part about being a CASA?

Barb: My favorite part is seeing the joy on children’s faces. The children we work with are often leery of another new adult in their lives. They have all kinds of people coming and going. When they start to recognize you, though, and they realize you’re there to stay, your visits become something they look forward to in their week. To see them smile when they’ve been faced with so much trauma is really something.

Kay: Another thing is the help and guidance from the staff. We have Kari as our advocate supervisor, and she’s “Sergeant Picky,” but she really does her due diligence to make sure that every report we send to the judges is top notch. Seriously, though, the staff is incredible. Stephanie Sheler, CASA’s executive director, really has her finger on the pulse of what it means to take care of volunteers, the community, and donors.

What is your dynamic like as a co-CASA team?

Barb: Oh, I think we’re “good cop, bad cop” sometimes. Kay can come off very fiercely and then I can come in and soften things up. I also think she picks up things that I miss and vice versa. We have a good working relationship and we agree to disagree when necessary–but we hardly ever disagree.

Kay: Barb and I go all the way back. I can say anything to her, and she can say anything to me. We both have gifts in different areas, and we reflect off each other well. Barb is excellent at getting to the computer and getting the report done. She’s definitely a go-getter. I tend to want to review the case again–to learn every single detail and take time to reflect. That has it’s time and place, but she helps keep us moving forward.

Barb: I’m grateful for Kay’s partnership, but I’m even more grateful for her friendship.

Kay: We play bunco together. We get dinner and drinks together. Our husbands are friends. I love Barb like a sister.

What would you say to someone who is interested in becoming a CASA?

Barb: If you feel this mission tug at your heart, don’t stop. Keep going. Learn more and become an advocate. If you can help one child move in the right direction that’s a huge impact. You can be in their corner and be their advocate and let them know that someone cares about them.

Kay: I have a sterner approach, but I always tell people if you cannot put your heart and soul into this, don’t do it. Think it through long and hard to make sure you can make this commitment. If you decide to stop, you’re not leaving a volunteer role, you’re leaving a child.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Kay: There’s no one else out there doing what CASA does. I took my car to the dealership once and a young man working there saw the CASA logo on my car. He shared that he had a CASA volunteer as a child and that she’d changed his life for the better. That was a moving experience.

Barb: Help one child at a time. Be their advocate. It’s not always comfortable, but in the long run you’re sure making a difference. If you feel the calling, listen to it.

*Interview answers have been edited for length and clarity.

This story is featured in the Winter 2024 edition of CASA Connect, CASA of Kent County’s quarterly newsletter. Click here to view a pdf version of this newsletter.