This year , more than 35 individuals and their advocates came to the Citizen Advocacy Holiday Potluck Dinner at St. Teresa's Church  for some great food and some plain old holiday fun. Everyone contributed a tasty entrée, salad or sinfully delicious dessert. After dinner everyone took part in a grab bag gift exchange and sang Holiday tunes.
  In addition to the yearly Holiday Potluck Dinner, Citizen Advocacy at BCARC provides numerous opportunities, both organized and informal, for its participants to socialize and also take part in community activities.  Advocates might take their protégé friends to church with them, invite them to their house for coffee or for dinner, or go out for an evening at the

movies together.  Both partners always benefit from these friendships.
   However, as successful as this program has been, there is a down side.
   There are many individuals who are still seeking advocates. Their interests range from swimming, going out to lunch, bowling, talking on the phone and going to church. These are things that many community members take