The Mediation Center of the Coastal Empire has announced exciting plans to observe the American Bar Association’s Mediation Week, which runs Oct. 15-21. In 2011, the ABA declared the third week of October, “ABA Mediation Week” as part of the Association for Conflict Resolution’s long-established tradition of celebrating conflict resolution throughout October. The theme for this year’s ABA Mediation Week is “Mediation, Civility, and the Power of Understanding.”

The Mediation Center, which has been cutting the emotional and financial costs of disputes for thousands of people throughout the Coastal Empire region, will commemorate this observance with a couple events designed to thank current volunteers and draw new ones in.

As part of the observance, the center will host the Annual Mediation Appreciation Cocktail Hour on Tuesday, Oct. 17 at the Mediation Center. All volunteer mediators, supporters, staffers and board members will be treated to appetizers, drinks and networking opportunities as they celebrate the center’s 30 successful years. During the cocktail hour, a special announcement will be made about the Mediation Center’s annual fundraising event.

The Mediation Center plans to prolong its observance of the ABA’s Mediation Week by holding its inaugural monthly information session, “Mediation Matters,” at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 26. This meeting, held at the Mediation Center at 5105 Paulsen St., Suite 125D, will provide anyone interested in becoming a volunteer mediator with all the information, requirements and guidelines needed to make an informed decision about taking on this important role.  Topics important to attendees, such as how to incorporate mediation into the workplace environment or bring one of the Mediation Center’s youth programs to your organization, will also be addressed.

Mediation Center Executive Director Jill Cheeks encourages community members to attend one of the monthly information sessions to learn more about the Mediation Center’s services and resources.

“This is our first time celebrating the American Bar Association’s Mediation Week, and we hope to make it into an annual tradition in our region. It’s the perfect opportunity for the Mediation Center to express gratitude to our current volunteers and supporters while aiming to increase community involvement and support for our programs and services,” Cheeks said.