In the spirit of “ igniting new ideas” Fairfield Center is pleased to be a partner with IGNITE Harrisonburg!  Please come down to Clementine Cafe in Harrisonburg this coming Tuesday, May 15 at 6:30 PM for the first of three IGNITE Harrisonburg events.

Ignite is “a force for raising the collective IQ and building connections in each city,” according to its global website. First started in Seattle, Washington, this movement has spread to over 100 cities throughout the world. Ignite is now in Harrisonburg… aptly called Ignite Harrisonburg!

On Tuesday, may 15th, the final spring event (of three) for Ignite Harrisonburg will take place at Ruby’s Lounge, in the Clementine’s basement. Creatives, entrepreneurs, and community members in and around Harrisonburg will gather to hear (and give, if desired)  5-minute talks about projects, ideas, and personal or professional passions.

If you would, indeed, like to present for five minutes, simply submit your information at Ignite Harrisonburg’s website. (They also have a new Facebook page.)

Pursuing this unique form of social entrepreneurship, Ignite Harrisonburg will host the final Spring 2012 IGNITE event on Tuesday, May 15. The event is free and open to the public.

Those who attend Ignite Harrisonburg events will be able to vote on a People’s Choice Award, and each night’s winner will receive a downtown gift basket! If you ever cannot attend, fear not. After each event, videos of the presentations will be made available on igniteshow.com.Fairfield Center is offering a prize of $3,000.00 in the value of direct services to the overall winner of IGNITE Harrisonburg to further develop and support their ideas and goals toward success.  Services gifted to the overall winner will be a day-long retreat (or two half days) with the winner’s team, organization or partners.  Services also include limited pre-retreat and post-retreat support to develop the agenda and goals of the retreat with a compilation of outcomes and action steps with the overall winner of IGNITE Harrisonburg.

 Fairfield Center is offering this award of services as a partner with IGNITE Harrisonburg supporting the creative conversations and entrepreneurial spirit of the community.  Inspired by Virginia’s first in the state IGNITE Staunton Fairfield Center loves IGNITE!

 Ignite Harrisonburg Event

Ruby’s Lounge, in the basement of Clementine
153 South Main Street, Harrisonburg [map]
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
6:30 PM (socializing will begin at 6:00 PM)

Dear Friends of Fairfield Center and the Valley Plane Pull,

Thank you all so much for your support of the Valley Plane Pull and making it a great success!  The 5th Annual 2012 Plane Pull had a net income of over  $10,000.00 which directly supports our Community Mediation Program for Families. Thank you for your support!!

Photos from the 5th Annual Valley Plane Pull taken by Jeff James of Jeff James Photography in Harrisonburg can be found online at the following CORRECTED link http://flickr.com/gp/jeff_james/N1r305

I am posting this note to Team Captains and Event Partners and Sponsors so that you can coordinate with your team members the images that you might want to acquire from Jeff James photography.

Event attendees can email Jeff James directly for the pictures they like and he is more than happy to download what they want and email back to them. Jeff James can be contacted directly at: jeffjamesphotography@yahoo.com

Thanks again for your great energy, generosity and for your commitment to making a difference in the lives of hundreds of children, youth and families in support of Fairfield Center’s Community Mediation Program for Families.

Dear Friends of Fairfield Center,

30 years ago the community came together with a vision and a purpose to create a different way to address problems, solve disputes and build community.  From that point of “ignition” 30 years ago the dream grew and Fairfield Center is serving the Central Shenandoah Valley and beyond.

We are inspired by community initiatives that gather together people, ideas, social entrepreneurship and community.  Its part of our story where people, ideas and community sparked an idea and that’s at the heart of the Center’s 30 year story.

In the spirit of “ igniting new ideas” Fairfield Center is pleased to be a partner with IGNITE Harrisonburg!  Please come down to Clementine Cafe in Harrisonburg this coming Tuesday April 17 at 6:30 PM for the first of three IGNITE Harrisonburg events. 
Ignite is a “a force for raising the collective IQ and building connections in each city,” according to its global website. First started in Seattle, Washington, this movement has spread to over 100 cities throughout the world. Ignite is now in Harrisonburg… aptly called Ignite Harrisonburg!

On Tuesday, April 17th, the second event (of three) for Ignite Harrisonburg will take place at Ruby’s Lounge, in the Clementine’s basement. Creatives, entrepreneurs, and community members in and around Harrisonburg will gather to hear (and give, if desired)  5-minute talks about projects, ideas, and personal or professional passions.

If you would, indeed, like to present for five minutes, simply submit your information at Ignite Harrisonburg’s website. (They also have a new Facebook page.)

Pursuing this unique form of social entrepreneurship, Ignite Harrisonburg will host an initial series of three events on the third Tuesday of the next two months – April 17, and May 15. All events are free and open to the public.

Those who attend Ignite Harrisonburg events will be able to vote on a People’s Choice Award, and each night’s winner will receive a downtown gift basket! If you ever cannot attend, fear not. After each event, videos of the presentations will be made available on igniteshow.com.

Fairfield Center is offering a prize of $3,000.00 in the value of direct services to the overall winner of IGNITEHarrisonburg to further develop and support their ideas and goals toward success.  Services gifted to the overall winner will be a day-long retreat (or two half days) with the winner’s team, organization or partners.  Services also include limited pre-retreat and post-retreat support to develop the agenda and goals of the retreat with a compilation of outcomes and action steps with the overall winner of IGNITE Harrisonburg.

Fairfield Center is offering this award of services as a partner with IGNITE Harrisonburg supporting the creative conversations and entrepreneurial spirit of the community.  Inspired by Virginia’s first in the state IGNITE Staunton, Fairfield Center loves IGNITE!

Ignite Harrisonburg Event

Ruby’s Lounge, in the basement of Clementine
153 South Main Street, Harrisonburg [map]
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
6:30 PM (socializing will begin at 6:00 PM)

* Your party must present this flyer when you pay your bill in order for the Fairfield Center to receive 20% of the proceeds!

Restorative Justice Program In Place At Diversion Center

Inmate Morgan Boyd, 28, (center) shakes hands on Tuesday with Sue Praill, director of the Fairfield Center’s restorative justice program, after Boyd and Robert Mitchem (left) discussed the success they have experienced with the pilot class during their time at the Harrisonburg Men’s Diversion Center. (Photos by Justin Falls)

Inmates Robert Mitchem, 48, (left) and Morgan Boyd, 28, discuss the success they have experienced with the Restorative Justice program at the Harrisonburg Men’s Diversion Center on Tuesday.

Sue Praill, director of the Fairfield Center’s restorative justice program, talks about the success of the program as Peter Van Acker, Harrisonburg Men’s Division Center superintendent, (right) and Sam Nickels listen in Van Acker’s office on Tuesday.

LINVILLE— Six months ago, Morgan Boyd entered the Harrisonburg Men’s Diversion Center in Linville looking for a chance to better his life.

In addition to the normal courses at the jail for nonviolent offenders, the 28-year-old Tazewell resident was among a dozen volunteers to participate in the first class of a pilot program on restorative justice led by the Fairfield Center in Harrisonburg.

During the six-week course, the men participate in a discussion aimed at teaching them to understand how their actions affect their victims.
“It shows you that for every action, there’s a reaction,” said Boyd, who graduated from the diversion center Thursday. “To see it and visualize it, it shows you how much you hurt people.”

Talking Together

The Fairfield Center, formerly known was the Community Mediation Center, was formed in 1982. The restorative justice program was launched in 1999.

Sue Praill, director of the restorative justice program, and Vesna Hart, a James Madison University graduate student, are in charge of the all-volunteer course at the diversion center.

“Our goal is to help the men understand the impact of their actions on the victims,” Praill said. “We want to help them develop empathy so they stop and think before acting in the future.”

By doing so, she said, the recidivism rates among those going through the program should be reduced. The recidivism rate — the percentage of people who reoffend after leaving jail — at the diversion center is about 35 percent, roughly half the national average, according to state statistics.

As part of the program, students participate in a two-hour session each week. During the sessions, the men sit in a circle, answer questions and discuss their feelings.

“Whatever questions we ask them, we’re willing to talk about ourselves,” Praill said. “We work with them as equals talking about difficult issues.”

Sharing Their Story

During the fourth week of the class, community volunteers describe the impact past crimes had on themselves and on their families.

Sam Nickels, a 51-year-old nonprofit fundraiser from Harrisonburg, spoke to the men about how a 14-year-old boy nearly destroyed his Maryland Avenue home in 2003 after he set fire to an anti-war sign posted on the home’s front porch.

Often, Nickels said, criminals don’t think how a crime will hurt the victim.

“They don’t think about you losing everything from your childhood that was in the attic,” he said.

Nickels, a restorative justice supporter, worked with the judicial system to fashion a sentence for the boy that avoided jail time.

Part of the judge’s sentencing included making the boy have dinner with Nickels’ family and work with crews renovating his home.

“We actually became friends with the family,” Nickels said. “That just doesn’t happen in our judicial system.”

Early Results

Diversion center staff members say they have seen a change in the men who have completed the restorative justice program.

Peter Van Acker, the diversion center’s superintendent, said the program gives the men a “punch.”

“We’re not talking about a punch in the mouth,” he said. “We’re talking about a psychological punch.”

Six months after an inmate’s release, program organizers plan to contact them to see how it has helped. They’ll use the feedback to create a database and plan to use the data to help secure grant funding for a larger program.

Robert Byrd, the diversion center’s senior probation officer, said the men say the program has changed their lives.

“Whether they follow through, time will tell,” Byrd said.

Boyd, who was being held at the diversion center on a felony possession of stolen goods conviction, said the program already has paid off in one way. The victim of his crime, he said, was someone close to him.

“It helped me patch up a relationship I’ve wanted to patch up for a long time,” Boyd said.

Contact Pete DeLea at 574-6278 or pdelea@dnronline.com

Ignite is a “a force for raising the collective IQ and building connections in each city,” according to its global website. First started in Seattle, Washington, this movement has spread to over 100 cities throughout the world. Ignite is now in Harrisonburg… aptly called Ignite Harrisonburg!

On Tuesday, March 20th, the kick-off event for Ignite Harrisonburg will take place at Ruby’s Lounge, in the Clementine’s basement. Creatives, entrepreneurs, and community members in and around Harrisonburg will gather to hear (and give, if desired) 5-minute talks about projects, ideas, and personal or professional passions.

If you would, indeed, like to present for five minutes, simply submit your information at Ignite Harrisonburg’s website. (They also have a new Facebook page.)

Pursuing this unique form of social entrepreneurship, Ignite Harrisonburg will host an initial series of three events on the third Tuesday of the next three months – March 20, April 17, and May 15. All events are free and open to the public.

Those who attend Ignite Harrisonburg events will be able to vote on a People’s Choice Award, and each night’s winner will receive a downtown gift basket! If you ever cannot attend, fear not. After each event, videos of the presentations will be made available on igniteshow.com.

Fairfield Center is offering a prize of $3,000.00 in the value of direct services to the overall winner of IGNITE Harrisonburg to further develop and support their ideas and goals toward success.  Services gifted to the overall winner will be a day-long retreat (or two half days) with the winner’s team, organization or partners.  Services also include limited pre-retreat and post-retreat support to develop the agenda and goals of the retreat with a compilation of outcomes and action steps with the overall winner of IGNITE Harrisonburg.

Fairfield Center is offering this gift of services as a partner with IGNITE Harrisonburg supporting the creative conversations and entrepreneurial spirit of the community.  Inspired by Virginia’s first in the state IGNITE StauntonFairfield Center loves IGNITE!

Ignite Harrisonburg Kick-Off Event

Ruby’s Lounge, in the basement of Clementine
153 South Main Street, Harrisonburg [map]
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
6:30 PM (socializing will begin at 6:00 PM)

March is Mediation Month in Virginia and Fairfield Center is pleased to promote Mediation Month with public radio station WMRA. 

WMRA’s Virginia Insight program is now in its second year of highlighting Mediation Month and supporting community outreach of mediation and ADR services and programs throughout Virginia. 

Take part in the conversation. Tune in on-line or find a way to listen in on Thursday afternoon March 1 at 3PM EST at www.wmra.org/post/mediation-magic

Mediation Month in Virginia

By Tom Graham, WMRA

Coming up Thursday, March 1st at 3pm EST.

Ever have trouble communicating with someone who doesn’t see things the way you do?

Since March is “Mediation Month”  in the Commonwealth, we’re looking for tips from those who do this kind of thing for a living.

Guests: E. Franklin Dukes, PhD - Professional mediator. Author of Reaching for Higher Ground: Creating Purpose-driven, Principled, and Powerful Groups  [BookSurge, 2009].   Director,  the Institute for Environmental Negotiation. Timothy Ruebke, M.A. – Professional mediator. Executive Director, Fairfield Center.

 Tune In Thursday and Listen On Line http://www.wmra.org/post/mediation-magic

Restoring Justice, Fostering Hope since 1982

2012 marks Fairfield Center’s 30th year of service to the community. We’ve been on a journey of peacebuilding since 1982. Our strong history has touched the lives of many children, families, and organizations throughout the central Shenandoah Valley. We continue to help hundreds of families navigate through crisis and transition. We continue to offer staff interns and training participants valuable hands-on experience and knowledge through our training and mentoring programs as we raise up a new generation of peace-builders. We offer a growing restorative justice program, discussion facilitation services and a variety of conference opportunities.

Building for the Future

In November 2011, the Fairfield Center Board purchased the historic Wampler Feed & Seed Building on Elizabeth Street in downtown Harrisonburg, Virginia.  The two-story building contains 18 thousand square feet with up to 40 parking spaces, will be co-owned and co-occupied by Fairfield Center and a diverse group of social service, cultural and educational agencies. The building will be a gathering space that offers operational efficiencies and amenities for a broad range of services for people in our community. Humbling yet exciting. Stay tuned for news and developments!

In this season when we celebrate light and love, I thank you for your care and support of the Fairfield Center. Please consider sending a generous contribution today as we head into our 30^th year!

Sincerely - Tim Ruebke, Executive Director

We are happy to announce that our 2012 Mediation and Communication Training schedule is finalized.  Please click on the link to the right to browse our offerings for the coming year. 

If you are a regular mediator or volunteer on Fairfield Center’s roster, please contact us about discounts we offer for advanced trainings. 

Any questions about our training schedule should be directed to Shannon Sneary at training@fairfieldcenter.org.