While CASA may mean "home" in Portuguese and four other languages on this planet, it most assuredly does not mean "home" in Latin. There is only one word for "home" in Latin. . . that word is "domus." Interestingly enough, the word Casa doesn't even exist in the Latin dictionary.
CASA is also the name of an existing non-profit organization which was born here in Lethbridge just over five years ago. CASA (Cultural Appreciation Society of Alberta) has used the name CASA as a trademark since its inception in a meeting less than a block away from where the current Arts Centre is being built. That meeting included a number of respected community members, and even former members of the Allied Arts Council volunteer leadership.
CASA (the actual organization) has partnered and/or produced dinner theatre events, Drive Inn Movie nights, put up hundreds of thousands of Christmas lights on the Lethbridge College, and later created the spectacular display of Christmas lights that continue to go up at Galt Garden each year. CASA was (for two years) a member of the Allied Arts Council, had done business with the City of Lethbridge, and until only recently, been very active in developing new community projects in and around our city.
How nice of AAC to assume the name with such apparent lack of respect, lack of diligence, and obvious disregard for the community, their own membership, and perhaps even simple common sense. Certainly a quick search right here in past articles at the Lethbridge Herald might have revealed the fact that CASA is already a publicly used and respected name in this city. But given that a Latin dictionary, or even their own membership lists, were not consulted - perhaps one shouldn't be quite so surprised.
Stacy Green
Lethbridge