"Profile of a Volunteer"

“Profile of a Volunteer”

Crystal Dudley a mother of two twin toddlers realized that Cleburne, Texas needed an additional source for quality child care.  The twin had been attending a mother’s day out program in a local church facility; however, the program had shut down to reorganize.

As a mother of twins, she was understandably skeptical of day care facilities and could not find the right fit for her toddlers.  She has always been an advocate for children, with a deep seated passion for making children’s lives better.  She had just finish a degree in sociology and was ready to begin working as a case manager for CASA of Johnson County (an organization for which she has volunteered for 9 years), but instead of going to work for CASA she opened an early learning center in March 2009.  She called it gateway early learning center. 

Crystal had no experience in the child care industry.  So she hired a director to run the day to day operations and went back to school, and earned her degree in early childhood education.  She received her Master’s in early childhood studies.  Crystal strongly believes that “anything worth doing is worth doing well”.

Crystal is currently the President of Casa of Johnson County; she also contributes her time to the Cleburne Child Advocacy Center and the family crisis center.  Her center is currently in the process of accreditation and once they receive their accreditation it will the first child center in Johnson County to be accredited. 

Crystal is a true child advocate and an inspiration to all Early childhood professionals including myself.  I decided to go to Walden University to receive my masters in Early Childhood Studies with the special in public policy and child advocacy because of her.   I am also a CASa of Johnson County volunteer.  After Walden University I am thinking about trying to get into law school.  Crystal showed me that all things are possible as long as we are passionate about it and give 150% to achieve it.