Souper Bowl Sunday 2012

Souper Bowl Sunday
Sunday, March 4 from 4:30-6:30pm
Athens Community Center (off E. State St.)

Enjoy a delicious meal provided by area restaurants
Take home a locally made hand-crafted bowl
Entertainment will be provided by local musicians

*More information as the date gets closer.

Call or email for your tickets!

John, Megan or Rimma 594-6169 or AthensMediation@gmail.com

What We Do

Athens Area Mediation Service...what we do.

We help people in conflict, many, many kinds of conflict in a wide variety of situations. Some are long term, deeply seated conflicts; some do not seem as serious. Some involve the court and legal system; some do not. Some with people who are ready and willing to work things out; some with people who are angry and discouraged. We have helped people have important conversations and resolve disputes including those between:

Spouses and partners

Co-workers

Business owners and consumers

Parents and teens

Landlords and tenants

Neighbors

Roommates and house mates

Boards, staffs, and groups trying to work together

Residents and officials

… and more

Mediation is fast, affordable, and effective. Contact us to find out more.

Conflict Resolution Training

We all help many groups with training in handling difficulties effectively. Our trainings are highly participatory, geared to the needs of those attending, and, surprisingly, relaxed and enjoyable. Many groups have reported a big shift in their ability to communicate well and work together more smoothly as a result.

We also offer a regular training series in the fundamentals of mediation for those who want to learn more. These trainings are offered four times each year, with three or four sessions totaling fourteen hours. We focus on developing listening and questioning skills that help people explore a crucial issue, “where do we go from here?” Participants report new understandings and growth from engaging with a diverse group around these important communication issues.

Contact John, Megan or Rimma at: 594-6169 or aams@frognet.net

PPF

Working day at PPF
Saturday, June 4 from 10-2pm
Grand Opening at Putt People First
Hotdogs, music & FREE mini golf from 12-3 on Sunday, June 5

Working Days at Putt People First

Working Days At Putt People First

Located off of Dairy Lane
Sunday, May 1st from 12:30-3:00 pm
Saturday, May 7th from 11:00-3:00 pm

Working Days at Putt People First

Working Days at Putt People First

Sunday, May 1st from 12:30-3:00 pm
Sunday, May 8th from 11:30-3:00 pm

Located off of Dairy Lane!

Mediation Training this June!

Fundamentals of Mediation Training

The Athens Area Mediation Service is sponsoring an intensive training in mediation skills. Those participating will learn to use the listening skills and thoughtfully structured approaches of mediation to respond to a wide variety of conflict situations. Past participants have reported being more effective in addressing conflict in the workplace and in their family lives.

Our training style is informal, participatory, and fun. Over four hundred people have enjoyed this training over the last six years.

When: June 14, 15 & 16 from 8:30am to 1:00pm each day
Where: On or near campus

More information when closer to the date.

If you are interested please call or Email us at 740-594-6169 or AAMS@frognet.net

Town Hall Forum Tonight From 6:30 – 8:30 PM At The Athens Community Center

What kind of community do we want to live in?

How do we want to be treated by the people around us?

What do we need to do to be able to treat others with complete respect?

How can we be civil when we’re not being listened to or treated well?

I’ve got lots of questions. Probably you do, too. We invest a good deal of our time and energy in figuring out some of the answers as we make our way through each day. One of the great things about being in the Athens area is being among so many others who are trying to do the same thing. The result is a community where we have learned to be welcoming and thoughtful much of the time. A friend who has recently returned to Athens after some years in several other cities mentioned how much more open and friendly people are here on a fairly regular basis.

One of the times the questions sound more emphatically is when differences are part of the picture. We are different in many ways, by culture, language, gender, race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, abilities, social position, occupation, religion, beliefs, and more. This is a very, very good thing that adds so much richness and uniqueness to our communities. Still, our response to these differences may add some tension and discomfort as well. It may become very important that we find ways to talk about these differences in meaningful ways, without blame or guilt or attack, if we want to reach our potential as individuals and as a community.

We’ve seen the results of failing to have these meaningful conversations. We lose track of the things we share in common. Safety, connection, and community can be eroded. Some end up feeling excluded and disrespected. Others may feel criticized, blamed and isolated. Some give up while others keep fighting to be noticed and heard. Many people can become polarized and prejudiced. The conditions can be created that foster bigotry and even violence.

To continue to move toward the kind of place we want to be and the kind of people we want to be, we’ll need to try to share our experiences, ideas, and struggles and listen to those of others. We’ll need to figure out how to talk with each other knowing we may not initially agree or understand. We’ll need to explore what it means to have challenging conversations in a lively and civil way.

There will be a Town Hall forum this Tuesday, April 19, from 6:30 – 8:30 PM at the Athens Community Center to address some of our concerns and ideas on diversity and civility, sponsored by the City of Athens , the Athens Community Relations Commission, and the League of Women Voters of Athens County.

It may look a little different than some of the forums, as we’ll spend a good chunk of time meeting in small groups, giving every voice a chance to be heard and giving all of us a chance to learn from each other. It is certain to be engaging and maybe even fun. I look forward to seeing you there.

In community, John Schmieding Chair, Athens Community Relations commission

594-6169 aams@frognet.net

276 Highland Avenue , Athens , OH