Kelly Baltas joins CASA of River Valley and plans 1st fundraiser for kids

Kelly Baltas joined the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) of River Valley board of directors as its deputy director Oct. 4.

And Baltas is already working on the return of the organization’s popular fundraiser.

“My first project is the Christmas Express train ride which was not held last year due to COVID,” Baltas said in a news release from CASA. “I look forward to helping bring it back this December and cannot wait to get started.”

The 13th Annual Christmas Express will take place on Dec. 4 and Dec. 5. The event includes a Metra train ride from New Lenox to Tinley Park, visit with Santa, breakfast or lunch and various activities.

All proceeds benefit Will County and Grundy County children in the CASA program “who are experiencing trauma in these unstable times,” the release said.

CASA recruits and trains volunteers “to act as the voice of the child, providing needed information to the court, and working toward a more restorative juvenile court process,” the release said.

As deputy director, Baltas will focus on community relations and advancement of the CASA mission, both to grow the organization and to broaden its outreach, the release said. She will work directly with executive director Rita Facchina, fellow staff and the board of directors, the release said.

“CASA has experienced a 53% increase of children entering the foster care system as a result of abuse / neglect,” Facchina said in the release. “With so much adversity, there is a great need to expand our volunteer recruitment efforts and provide program services to our families.”

The release said Baltas has 20 years of experience in planning events in the private as well as not-for-profit sector. This experience included a decade of working for the family-owned Jacob Henry Mansion Estate for more than a decade as a group sales director and event planner.

Most recently, Baltas served as executive vice president of the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce & Industry. For seven years, Baltas organized the chamber’s programming and special events, which included New Orleans North, Fiesta en la Calle, the annual Golf Outing and Gala. Prior to her roles at the chamber, Kelly worked as Group Sales Director and Event Planner for the family-owned Jacob Henry Mansion Estate for more than a decade.

Tickets for the 13th Annual Christmas Express go on sale mid-October. To purchase and for more information, visit asaofrivervalley.org.