2023 Newsmaker Megan Roane: 'I get as much out of this as the folks I'm trying to help'
STAUNTON — "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
Known as the Golden Rule, it's something that Newsmaker Megan Roane has always tried to live by. "That's been instilled in me since I was tiny. I would definitely say that kind of helped shape my thought," said Roane, 46, the director of Blue Ridge Court Services (BRCS) in Staunton.
For Roane, who was born and raised in Staunton, being there for people at their low point is something that evolved naturally over the years, a combination of her personality, faith, and a stable upbringing. Roane said she realized at a young age that not everyone has the same opportunities in life, prompting her to seek a profession where she could make a difference for those who might have stumbled.
About 25 years ago after finishing college and earning a degree in sociology, Roane landed at BRCS. "I started here in 1999 at the front desk, part-time," she recently told The News Leader. "That gave me a really good idea as to everything that was happening."
She's been there ever since.
With over 2,000 clients, the bulk of the agency's work centers around probation and pre-trial services. "I think our clients would tell you we do so much more," Roane said.
Indeed. BRCS also handles home electronic monitoring, runs a domestic violence program, offers drug court, has a therapeutic docket for defendants with mental illness, and also re-entry services, all an effort to find sentencing alternatives for the courts to help reduce jail overcrowding. BRCS serves courts in Staunton, Waynesboro, Lexington, Buena Vista, and in the counties of Augusta, Rockbridge and Highland. The agency has 18 employees and a budget of $1.13 million in the fiscal year 2022. It is supported through grants.
A former probation officer at BRCS, Roane was appointed director almost four years ago following the retirement of former director Dave Pastors, who held the position for 23 years. But even while heading the agency, Roane couldn't imagine not working directly with clients, so she asked if she could still carry a caseload, albeit smaller than that of other staff members.
"And I still do, I still have a caseload," Roane said. "I still like that interaction."
Roane would be the first to admit she doesn't have all the answers, and noted many of the agency's clients come from unstable homes, or are in a cycle of drug abuse or dealing with mental health issues. "A lot of folks just need somebody to talk to," she said.
Sometimes, a little positive feedback can go a long way. "You tell some folks I am so proud of you — you have no idea what that does for them," Roane said.
But not everyone, be it under supervision or in drug court, for example, is successful, Roane admitted. "For some it doesn't work," she said. "That's really rough when you have to request a capias and you know somebody's going to be picked up."
There are plenty of success stories where Roane has seen clients take the right steps and get their lives in order. On occasion, they'll even come by the office — tucked away in the corner of the White Star Mills building at 125 S. New St. in Staunton — just to say "thank you" and to let everyone know they're still doing well. "That's amazing," Roane said.
Church is an admittedly important part of Roane's life, but she also knows BRCS isn't the place to bring up the topic. "Here, I don't discuss my faith or religion," she said. But several years ago she was approached by the Valley Mission in Staunton, which has offered shelter for those without a home since 1971. Roane now volunteers some of her free time at the Valley Mission, which also partners with BRCS, and she is currently doing a second six-year stint as vice chair on its board.
"What a great opportunity for me to work with a lot of the same population," Roane said of her time at the Valley Mission, where she can also express her faith. "I found that very refreshing."
Susan Richardson, executive director at the Valley Mission, said Roane is an advocate for the agency and the population it serves. "Megan's contributions to the board and Valley Mission during the last eight years have changed so many lives for the better," Richardson said. "Her work behind the scenes within the probation system really is a testament to the difference a single person can make in our community."
Richardson said Roane brings a profound understanding and compassion to the board. "Her recognition that everyone falls on hard times, and her joy in knowing Valley Mission provides hope during these difficult periods, aligns perfectly with our mission," Richardson said. "With people like Megan on our governing body, we are confident in our continued ability to uplift individuals on their journey from hardship to hope."
And for good measure, Roane is also an adult sponsor for 6th-grade girls in the student ministry at the Bridge Christian Church in Fishersville. "I walk with them until they graduate," she said.
Even as a precocious young girl, Roane, chuckling at the memory, recalls deciding on her own to visit an elderly woman, a member of her childhood church, who had recently been placed in a retirement home. But giving others hope is something Roane has been doing for as long as she remembers.
"For me, I get as much out of this as the folks I'm trying to help. It's almost how I function," Roane said. "I feel like it's what I'm supposed to be doing."
Brad Zinn is the cops, courts and breaking news reporter at The News Leader. Have a news tip? Or something that needs investigating? You can email reporter Brad Zinn (he/him) at bzinn@newsleader.com. You can also follow him on X (formerly Twitter).
This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: 2023 Newsmaker Megan Roane
