Staff from Child & Family Services’ Center for Resolution and Justice (CRJ) recently got together to deliver cheese trays and cookies to each of its volunteer mediators that RSVP’d for the annual mediator recognition and holiday party event.
Our team had to make the event virtual this year due to COVID-19, so the challenge was finding ways to make it a special evening and less like a business meeting on Zoom. Staff met at Director of CRJ Julie Loesch’s house and their office at the TriMain Center with Manager of CRJ’s Communications & Program Development Sharon Webber. There, they divided into groups to make delicious deliveries all over WNY. The CRJ team received much thanks from the mediators, who were really touched by their efforts and grateful for their deliveries, masked conversations on porches, and comradery later that evening over Zoom.
Child & Family Services’ President and CEO Elizabeth McPartland and Chief Operating Officer Linda McCartan shared their appreciation for all the volunteers’ efforts that helped CRJ mediate more than 400 cases and nearly 1,000 individuals on Zoom since the start of the pandemic. This would not be possible without the volunteers’ willingness to pivot from in-person to virtual mediation. During the virtual event, CRJ also recognized Ken Vossler, a mediator from Chautauqua County, who attained a 10-year service milestone with CRJ.
While all would have preferred to be in the beautiful Lockwood Library at 844 Delaware for the evening, staff and mediators had festive backgrounds and party hats in full view to make for a celebratory feel. A silver lining? Close to 40 participants attended the Zoom event! The virtual format allowed for a larger turnout than often occurs in person, as weather issues and long distances make traveling to Buffalo for the annual event difficult.
Thank you again to all of CRJ’s volunteer mediators!