By Cathy Freeman

United Way of the Greater Triangle

Mary Cason arrived at the Orange County Rape Crisis Center in 1994 with a desire to volunteer her clinical experience for a good cause. That cause was already helping people all over the Chapel Hill area stand up to the tragedy of sexual violence -- and Mary has been a driving force in the crisis center's work now for nearly 15 years.

Since then, she has worn almost every hat in the organization -- from support group facilitator to crisis companion to community educator.

In this time, she's been a part of innumerable life-changing experiences, but one stands out the most. She describes "witnessing justice prevail when a serial rapist was sentenced to 394 years" as one of her most significant memories of helping survivors.

Before retiring in 1994, Cason worked as a therapist specializing in addiction and family. Her background in abuse complemented the center's mission to stop sexual violence and its impact through support, education and advocacy.

The Orange County Rape Crisis Center, a United Way partner agency, provides essential and confidential services to survivors of sexual assault and any family members or friends who need support. The center offers 24-hour intervention services, information, referrals, support groups, individual counseling and programs that address assault awareness and prevention.

As a devoted volunteer, Cason has been a part of several major milestones for the center. She and her husband are both members of the board of directors, where she has been active for the past five years in positions of president and vice president. Cason has gladly volunteered to be a part of two executive director search committees, countless fund raisers, a 30th anniversary event, volunteer training and various committees.

In true keeping with the organization's mission of advocacy, Cason is also a strong promoter of the center outside of Orange County. She spoke on its behalf at the North Carolina Council for Women's Workshop, presented to psychologists in Tokyo and participated at the Biannual North Carolina Coalition Against Sexual Assault and the Prevent Child Abuse Conference.

Her involvement sets an example for how to give, advocate and volunteer in the Triangle.

"What motivated me to continue, and still does, was the excellent training for volunteers and the quality of the staff," Cason said. "Many of the staff have continued to be in my life as friends even though they may have moved on to other work and responsibilities."

Editor's note: Each week throughout the United Way of the Greater Triangle annual campaign, The Herald-Sun will run an article on volunteers or agencies that receive United Way funding. This is the fourth of that series.

Cathy Freeman is a freelance multimedia journalist who wrote this for the United Way of the Greater Triangle.

To volunteer

There are several volunteer positions available at the Rape Crisis Center. Roles include companion, Spanish-speaking advocate, community educator, office volunteer, support group facilitator and board of directors member.

To learn more about how you can LIVE UNITED by helping United Way and its partner agencies like the Orange County Rape Crisis Center make lasting changes in our communities, visit www.unitedwaytriangle.org