On February 21, 1977, Timothy Wayne Knode was charged with the same day murder of his 25-year-old wife. Prior to her death, Imogene Knode begged publicly for help to end the nightmare she had been living since her separation from her husband five months earlier.

Imogene had written a letter to the editor of the Hagerstown newspaper spelling out her problem: "I am a young woman who has a most serious problem..." said her letter signed "Helpless." "I couldn't take the beatings and punishments I was receiving from my husband so I sought to obtain a divorce. I have been harassed by my husband to no end. He has beat me (when he catches me on the street), cut me, broke into my mother's house, stands and calls me obscene names, among other things I cannot mention. The police say they can't do anything to him...Will someone please tell me what I can do?"

Mrs. Knode did receive help from the city police 10 days after her letter was published. An assault warrant was issued after her husband allegedly threw ice on her and hit her in the face in front of the Winter Street School where she was picking up her daughter. He could not be found, however, until the day the police arrested him for the fatal shooting of his wife.

This event finally raised the public awareness in Washington County about the need for a local temporary shelter--not just for battered women, but for displaced women as well. With these women in mind, CASA, Inc. was formed on February 28, 1977 at a public community meeting. In our first year, we served about 100 families. Since that date, the need for CASA's programs and services has continued to increase--now, with thousands of individuals being helped annually.