Children’s Law Center of Minnesota Celebrates 13 years of Making Children’s Voices Heard
Children’s Law Center of Minnesota (CLC) celebrated its 13th anniversary at the Millennium Hotel Minneapolis on October 1, 2008.
Former First Lady Susan Carlson received the Rosalie E. Wahl Justice for Children Award presented by former Chief Justice Kathleen Blatz. It was Susan’s experience in Juvenile court that led her to launch the initiative to promote Fetal Alcohol Syndrome education and prevention in March 1997. In 1998, she founded the Minnesota Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (MOFAS), the only statewide organization dedicated to education and prevention of alcohol-related birth defects. Susan has played a very active role in improving the quality of life for children in Minnesota.
The Heroes for Children awards was presented to Shjon & Sherry Podein for their work with children who suffer from Ataxia Telangiectelsia (AT) and other efforts to help children with diseases and illnesses, and Bernadette Benner for her tireless work as a social worker, foster mother and mentor to Minnesota’s foster children over the last 30 years.
CLC also honored the law firms of Dorsey & Whitney, and Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand for their dedication to pro bono legal services for Children. Dorsey & Whitney has partnered with CLC for many years, recruiting volunteer attorneys and hosting training sessions. Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand hosted CLC’s first training in 1996 and continues to provide quality representation for CLC clients through volunteer attorneys. Lawyers from both firms have given substantial hours of pro bono representation to children in the foster care system and have helped ensure Minnesota’s foster children’s voices are heard in proceedings where life-changing decisions are made for them. The quality of their representation has been of the highest quality and makes a difference to the children and to our communities.
Jonathan, a CLC client, shared his experience in the system and explained how this attorney helped him navigate and understand the systems that affected him. Jonathan also now helps CLC train volunteers by participating in training sessions.
Since 1995, CLC has provided quality representation for over 1,300 children and now has a roster over 300 volunteer attorneys.
L to R: Shjon & Sherry Podein, Pete Hendrixson,
Bernadette Benner, Cooper
Ashley
L to R: Former Governor Arne Carlson and
Former First Lady Susan Carlson, Margaret
Coleman,
Michelle Finley, Bernadette Benner
L to R: Jim Reece, Libby Larsen,
Louise Wilson and Elaine McGillivary
L to R: Gail Chang Bohr, Wheelock Whitney,
Honorable Kathleen Blatz, Susan and
Arne Carlson
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