Immediate Past President Peter Norton opened the meeting today for President Candy Yoder who is out of town. Peter introduced Fran Conner who shared meaningful words, led the Pledge of Allegiance, and Four Way Test.
Thanks to our greeters today, including Lizzie Sheets who introduced our guests, including visiting Rotarian Doug Grant from Wawasee. Guests of club members included: Anne Lehman, Lon Zimmerle, Kathy Rupin, and Stephanie Krol (guests of Irwin Larrier), Doug Moore (Fran Conner), and Allie Canniff (Brad Canniff). Welcome to ALL, we hope you can all join us again some other time!
Today we welcomed two new Rotarians to our Club!
- David Damerow from The Elkhart Truth, and
- Paul Gardner from RSM US LLP
- Within CCJ's victim reconciliation program, 40% of participants are juveniles and 60% adults
- CCJ receives referrals from courts, and connect with victims; they also receive referrals from law enforcement
- The social return on investment is $1 million in our community
- The average success rate is 80%
- The program focuses on: mediation, training and coaching
- Wrong doing/misconduct is in reality a violation of people and interpersonal relationships.
- Violating relationships results in obligations to repair the harm created.
- These obligations need to be met in order for people to move forward in a healthy way.
Mission Statement
The Center for Community Justice is transforming communities of Elkhart County through Restorative Justice.
CCJ's Vision
Vibrant communities – Safe, just, and engaged.
The Center for Community Justice serves Elkhart County by providing programs, based on the principles of Restorative Justice, which strengthen community safety, provide support and compensation for victims, aid in the restoration of offenders, and promote reconciliation among victims, offenders, and the community.
CCJ offers seven quality programs and one class all rooted in principles of restorative justice. These include not only victim-offender reconciliation, but mediation in civil, criminal, family, divorce, landlord-tenant, and other matters; community service opportunities for offenders and victim impact panels to make the consequences of drunk driving “real” to offenders. CCJ served 4,200 people last year and will continue to grow with your support.
CCJ's programs give offenders the opportunity to take responsibility for their actions, and give the victims a voice in our criminal justice system. CCJ originated with Victim Offender Reconciliation Program (VORP) in 1977 by an Elkhart County juvenile probation officer who discovered the program operating in Canada. VORP quickly outgrew the resources of the probation department and joined a regional organization called Prisoners and Community Together (PACT) in 1979, and Elkhart County PACT was born. Following this, Community Service Restitution Program (CSRP) began.
- July 29: DOUBLE FEATURE Day! Interact Club Members present their adventure to Nosara, Costa Rica and Rotary Peace Fellows Sarah and Jonathan Nahar share their experieinces.
- August 5: Debra Treesh, Executive Director - Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry
- August 12: Bryan Mierau, Executive Director - Center for Healing and Hope, Goshen IN
- August 19: **MEETING AT WELLFIELD BOTANIC GARDENS** Eric Garton, Executive Director - Wellfield Botanic Gardens: 'What's Growing On' and Taste of the Gardens Preview
- Sunday, August 25: TASTE OF THE GARDENS at Wellfield Botanic Gardens
- August 26: Todd Zeltwanger - Director of Fund Development - Cultivate Culinary: Addressing the issues of food waste and food insecurity in our region