Due to concerns over spreading COVID-19, a drive-by reception was held for Shanda Hamilton, who is retiring from her position as director of the CASA program of Bracken, Fleming and Mason counties.
At 2 p.m., Hamilton stood outside the Mason County Judicial Center as vehicles drove by, with drivers slowing down long enough to honk a horn, drop off a gift or hang a sign out the window to tell her how much she would be missed.
“It was beautiful,” Hamilton said. “It was a dream come true to see the out pour of the people who took the time to stop by and wave,” she said. “I truly appreciate all the people who took the time out of their busy day to stop and see me.”
Hamilton said she saw volunteers, city and county leaders, firefighters, police, EMTs and Chamber representatives throughout the hour.
“There was just a ton of people who stopped by,” she said. “I saw some of the kids CASA has worked with and it was just awesome.”
During the day, CASA volunteers also handed out Easter bags to children. The bags were put together by Trinity United Methodist Church.
“We can’t go into the homes right now, so we have these bags for the kids. We’re going to the homes, sitting them outside and the kids can come out of their houses and get them,” Hamilton said.
Hamilton became director of CASA in 2014.
During her tenure as CASA director, Hamilton oversaw the training of 72 CASA volunteers for the program which has served 814 children during that period.
Hamilton was awarded the Superhero for our Children award at the 2016 annual Child Abuse Prevention Conference. In 2019, she was named a Kentucky Colonel.
Hamilton said she is looking forward to her retirement and to see what the future holds for CASA.
“I’m looking forward to spending time with my husband, Mark, and my family,” she said. “I’m planning to remain involved in the community and being an advocate just in a different way. I’m also looking forward to seeing all of the great and new things that will happen with CASA.”
Rebecca Walker Palmer has been named the new director and assumed her duties on March 23.
Palmer is a resident of Mason County, along with her husband, Maysville Assistant Police Chief Michael Palmer and their 15-year-old twins, Jackson and Jonathan. She is a graduate of Mason County High School and Murray State University and worked for the Kentucky Department of Corrections, Division of Probation and Parole before retiring last year.
