Dispute Resolution Center of West Michigan announces Local Peacemaker Awardees

Oct. 1, 2014 - PRLog -- After reviewing many fabulous nominees, the Dispute Resolution Center of West Michigan has announced the local peacemakers that will be honored at our upcoming friendraising event, Don't Worry, Be Happy! on Thursday, October 16 from 7-9:30 p.m. at the CityFlats Hotel Ballroom in downtown Grand Rapids.

Richard Balkema: A scholar, gentleman, peacemaker, and retired U.S. Marine, Richard has been a volunteer mediator since 2007. He volunteers not only for the DRCWM, but also for our sister centers in Muskegon and Holland. Richard mediates many types of cases, including general civil, domestic relations, restorative justice, special education, and child welfare. We are indebted to Richard for his dedication to the process of mediation and his willingness to go above and beyond in his service as a volunteer mediator.

Kevin Belk: Kevin recently retired as Grand Rapids Chief of Police after 34 years of service in the community. He grew up in the Black Hills Neighborhood of Grand Rapids on the southwest side. During his tenure, Kevin considered one of his most important tasks to be working to create better lives for children, particularly in troubled neighborhoods. “There is a connection between crime and services to young people,” Kevin said. “We’re seeing significant reductions of serious crime.” Mayor George Heartwell said Kevin “is leaving Grand Rapids a safer place.”

Bryan Blakely, Sr.: Bryan is the Executive Director of Bates Place Ministries. The organization seeks to bring hope to its neighbors by reconnecting them to society and family and by empowering them toward a sustainable future. Bates Place offers a variety of programs, including a cafe and drop-in center, crisis coaching, food pantry, and the C.L.E.A.R. program. C.L.E.A.R. meetings include lunch, followed by a time of sharing, support, and encouragement as men gather together and begin to rebuild their lives outside of prison walls, develop new relationships, and establish new habits and avenues of support.

Christy Buck: Christy is the energetic and straight-talking director of the Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan. As First Lady, Rosalynn Carter said during her recent visit to Grand Rapids, “Stigma is the number-one obstacle” for those suffering from mental illness. Christy works to combat this stigma regularly as a presenter of “Live, Laugh, Love: Educating Our Youth About Mental Health.” She is also working to combat bullying with the “Be Nice” program, which her Foundation recently expanded nationwide

Hon. David A. Hoort: Judge Hoort is a circuit court judge in Ionia and Montcalm Counties. He is a proponent of the use of mediation to resolve disputes and worked to establish Michigan's first mental health court to maximize the court’s ability to provide services to defendants with mental health issues. He is a member of the Ionia County Foundation, Montcalm County Coordinated Response to Domestic Violence; the Portland Athletic Association; Ionia Rotary; and the Portland High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

DRCWM is part of a network of independent Michigan community dispute resolution centers. The 501(c)3 nonprofit's mission is to "bring peaceful resolution to conflict by providing expert and affordable mediation services." Information about the types of mediation offered may be found on the organization's website at http://www.drcwm.org.

For more information about Don’t Worry, Be Happy!, visit DRCWM’s website at www.drcwm.org or call 616.774.0121.