Spotlight of the Month – Pamela Moody: The Heart, Voice, and Steadfast Advocate for Children in Pickaway County
Pamela Moody has spent the last 12 years doing what many talk about but few commit to standing consistently, courageously, and compassionately for children who cannot stand for themselves.
A longtime Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer in Pickaway County, Pamela was honored as Ohio CASA’s 2025 Pro Star Volunteer of the Year at the 30th Annual Celebrate Kids! Conference held on September 25. The event brought together more than 700 CASA volunteers, attorneys, and child advocates from across Ohio, all gathered to celebrate individuals whose work is changing the lives of vulnerable children.
Pamela’s recognition was no surprise to those who know her work.
Over the course of 12 years, she has advocated for 46 children, ensuring their voices are heard in courtrooms where decisions shape their futures. Calm, prepared, and unflinching, Pamela is known for presenting children’s wishes clearly and confidently before judges, never intimidated, always focused on what is right for the child.
“I like to stand up for them,” she says. “It’s important that the judge knows how the child is thinking, how they are feeling, and what their wishes are.”
But Pamela’s impact reaches far beyond the courtroom.
She is known for visiting children at all hours, responding during emergencies, and supporting new volunteers who need reassurance or simply don’t want to walk into difficult situations alone. When the community needed visibility, she helped recruit volunteers, promoted CASA’s mission online daily, and even helped build the Pickaway County CASA float; stapling, hammering, and working side by side with her team.
Those who work with her describe her as trusted by parents, comforting to children, and steady under pressure. Many children see her as a grandmother figure; someone safe, consistent, and deeply present.
One moment captures her heart perfectly.
Late one night, two girls called her around 10:30 p.m. with a simple but powerful question, would she be their grandmother, since theirs was no longer around? Pamela said yes without hesitation.
“I don’t have children of my own,” she shares, “but I consider all the children I have had as my own.”
Pamela describes being a CASA volunteer as a blessing, one that fills her heart. Yet, those around her are quick to say the blessing is mutual. She is described as the face of the CASA program in Pickaway County, the quintessential CASA; compassionate, direct, relentless when something needs attention, and unwavering in her commitment to children.
When she received the call informing her of the award, she cried.
“I was shocked,” she said. “It’s very special. I love CASA. I love what I do. I love my workers. I love my children.”
Pamela Moody’s story is a reminder that safeguarding is not abstract, it is lived daily through presence, persistence, and love. She does not simply advocate for children. She belongs to them, walks with them, and ensures they are never invisible.
