Heroes come in all shapes, sizes and ages. The heroic volunteers of Court Appointed Special Advocates of Lancaster and Lebanon Counties serve, place others ahead of themselves and seek to make the world a better place to live.

CASA of Lancaster and Lebanon Counties' upcoming gala is the nonprofit's signature event, partly because it celebrates these heroes. It also brings together volunteers, donors, community members and friends, new and old alike.

"It's always about putting the best interests of youth first," said Margie Lamberson, CASA of Lancaster and Lebanon Counties' director of development. "A CASA (court-appointed special advocate) is appointed by the court, and they're another set of eyes and ears for the judge," she explained. "A CASA is always there for (children who have been abused or neglected). That's their sole purpose. They're constantly asking, 'What does the child need? Are they being well cared for? How are they doing in school?'"

The 14th edition of CASA of Lancaster and Lebanon Counties' annual Heroes Gala, this year titled "A Storybook Soiree: Changing a Child's Story One Chapter at a Time," will be presented from 6 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 7, at Foundry48, 100 W. Millport Road, Lititz. The gala will feature a reception, drinks, hors d'oeuvres, a buffet dinner and a silent auction.

The deadline for purchasing tickets at http://www.Storybook.Soiree.givesmart.com is Friday, Aug. 30. Individuals can bid on silent auction items or donate directly to CASA of Lancaster and Lebanon Counties at the same website beginning Wednesday, Sept. 4.

"It will be a celebratory evening of recognizing the hard work that the CASA volunteers perform," said Lamberson. "People can change a child's story just by being there. It's an adult evening, but it's not a stuffy group. This group likes to have fun. It's an opportunity to do something a little different. Not only will it raise funds to support our mission, (but) it will also raise awareness about what we do."

At the gala, CASA of Lancaster and Lebanon Counties will also recognize Jenny Habecker of Hummelstown as its Hero of the Year and TriStarr of Lancaster as its Business Hero of the Year.

"Businesses like TriStarr help promote what we do," said Lamberson. "Jenny always goes above and beyond; she always goes the extra mile to advocate for the youth in her care and make sure they have all the resources they need."

Nearly 300 people are expected to attend the gala. Organizers are seeking to raise more than $200,000 for CASA of Lancaster and Lebanon Counties.

"The outpouring at the gala is pretty special. We have generous sponsors," said Lamberson. "We all have stories. The question becomes, 'How can you change a child's story?' We think about the heroes in stories, the characters in stories. Hopefully we're going to help these children have happy endings to their stories."

Headquartered at 120 N. Shippen St., Lancaster, CASA of Lancaster and Lebanon Counties currently serves more than 150 at-risk children from infants to 18-year-olds with more than 100 volunteers. In its 15 years of existence, the nonprofit has advocated for more than 1,100 youths.

"Dysfunction in a family can happen anywhere, and it can happen to anyone," said Lamberson. "It can break a family apart and a child isn't safe anymore. We're serving all the children who a judge believes a CASA can (help)."

For additional information about CASA of Lancaster and Lebanon Counties, go to http://www.casalancleb.org.