Dispute mediators honored at annual dinner
NORWICH – The Dispute Resolution Center’s annual volunteer appreciation dinner was held in Oneonta last week.
“Tonight is an evening to say thank you to all of you,” said Jennifer Morris, director of the Dispute Resolution Centers of Chenango, Delaware and Otsego counties.
There are two types of volunteers involved with the Dispute Resolution Center – mediators and court-appointed special assistants, also called CASAs. Mediators officiate an informal meetings between disputing parties. The mediator acts as a guide to help the parties come to a conclusion they agree upon. The mediator does not decide the outcome – the parties involved decide the solution. Those designated as CASAs are volunteers “specially trained to accept assignments as neutral parties by the county family court judges. Their role is to monitor court orders and report to the judge on the progress of the child.” These designees have a greater formality to their disputes and the results are made into court orders.
“I’d like to extend thanks from the unified court system to all of you,” said Darlene Ward, the CASA program manager.
These two types of programs could not exist without the volunteers who support them, Ward said. In the last 12 months, there have been 355 mediations with nearly 2,000 volunteered hours, said Morris. Chenango, Delaware and Otsego counties have 12 CASAs and there are 800 throughout New York State. Each mediation saves the court many hours of processing these disputes and every settlement reached before involving the court system saves thousands of taxpayer dollars, she said.
“The volunteers make a significant contribution to the quality of family life and make my work easier... thanks to all,” said Chenango County Family Court Judge Howard Sullivan at the dinner.
Chenango, Delaware and Otsego counties make up the area the dispute resolution program covers. The program is sponsored by Catholic Charities. “We’ve become a model for regional programs throughout the state,” said Kathie Greenblatt, executive director of Catholic Charities for Otsego and Delaware counties. Chenango County falls under the charter for the other two counties.
The volunteers received gifts from members at Brace Residential Center, a minimum security NYS children and family services residential home for young adult men. The members donated several potted plants grown at the facility as part of their final stages of release. “It would be important to recognize their good work,” said Donna Kankiewicz, mediation and CASA program trainer and volunteer coordinator.
“You are only one person in the world, but you can mean the world to one person,” said Ward to the volunteers recognized.
“Tonight is an evening to say thank you to all of you,” said Jennifer Morris, director of the Dispute Resolution Centers of Chenango, Delaware and Otsego counties.
There are two types of volunteers involved with the Dispute Resolution Center – mediators and court-appointed special assistants, also called CASAs. Mediators officiate an informal meetings between disputing parties. The mediator acts as a guide to help the parties come to a conclusion they agree upon. The mediator does not decide the outcome – the parties involved decide the solution. Those designated as CASAs are volunteers “specially trained to accept assignments as neutral parties by the county family court judges. Their role is to monitor court orders and report to the judge on the progress of the child.” These designees have a greater formality to their disputes and the results are made into court orders.
“I’d like to extend thanks from the unified court system to all of you,” said Darlene Ward, the CASA program manager.
These two types of programs could not exist without the volunteers who support them, Ward said. In the last 12 months, there have been 355 mediations with nearly 2,000 volunteered hours, said Morris. Chenango, Delaware and Otsego counties have 12 CASAs and there are 800 throughout New York State. Each mediation saves the court many hours of processing these disputes and every settlement reached before involving the court system saves thousands of taxpayer dollars, she said.
“The volunteers make a significant contribution to the quality of family life and make my work easier... thanks to all,” said Chenango County Family Court Judge Howard Sullivan at the dinner.
Chenango, Delaware and Otsego counties make up the area the dispute resolution program covers. The program is sponsored by Catholic Charities. “We’ve become a model for regional programs throughout the state,” said Kathie Greenblatt, executive director of Catholic Charities for Otsego and Delaware counties. Chenango County falls under the charter for the other two counties.
The volunteers received gifts from members at Brace Residential Center, a minimum security NYS children and family services residential home for young adult men. The members donated several potted plants grown at the facility as part of their final stages of release. “It would be important to recognize their good work,” said Donna Kankiewicz, mediation and CASA program trainer and volunteer coordinator.
“You are only one person in the world, but you can mean the world to one person,” said Ward to the volunteers recognized.
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