Local Community Mediation Center Granted National Award

Local Community Mediation Center Granted National Award

Creative Meditation Volunteer Wendy Waldron Receives National Association for Community Mediation Award for Outstanding Volunteer of the Quarter

From a pool of nominations throughout the United States and Canada, the National Association for Community Mediation (NAFCM) selects four volunteer mediators annually to highlight the outstanding service they provide at their local community mediation centers to make a difference in their community. This quarter, Creative Mediation at Wilshire Community Services is proud to announce their very own, Wendy Waldron, has received this nationally recognized award. After receiving the award, Wendy shared, “I was very surprised and honored to learn that the Creative Mediation staff had nominated me as a NAFCM Outstanding Volunteer and humbled to learn that I had won the honor.”

As a non-profit, Creative Mediation relies on the service of their dedicated volunteer base. Volunteers go through a minimum 6 months of training, and dedicate over 1,600 hours annually to help provide conflict resolution to the community. Many volunteers go above and beyond direct service, to support the mission of the non-profit community mediation center in San Luis Obispo. For Creative Mediation, Wendy Waldron is one of those outstanding volunteers. After years in the corporate world, Wendy became a volunteer mediator as a way to stay involved and give back, sharing “I value my volunteer work with Creative Mediation. The staff offers tremendous education in the skills and art of mediation and provides supported opportunities to perform in real-life situations.  I have grown personally as I’ve undertaken challenges under their tutelage. I feel proud to have an avenue to help my community reach peaceful solutions to their disputes.” Wendy has been a volunteer for over 5 years, providing direct service delivery to countless community members, fostering for-profit and non-profit relationships for Creative Mediation, and is an integral part of new program development as a volunteer council member. Programs Manager, Nicolina Galante, speaks of the process, “When we were presented with the opportunity to nominate a volunteer for the National Association for Community Mediation’s Outstanding Volunteer Award, we thought Wendy was a natural choice for the nomination. She not only dedicates her time and talents to serving people in conflict, but is an ambassador for our cause in the community and beyond.”

For more than 25 years, Creative Mediation has been providing the Central Coast with a way to minimize the damage caused by conflict and preserve the things that matter most. Wendy shares, “The work Creative Mediation does with neighbors, small claims litigants, students and families is important and empowering. I appreciate the opportunity to support them in their efforts.”  As a non-profit community mediation center, Creative Mediation’s programs provide a range of conflict resolution services to more than 2,500 county residents every year. Programs range from neighbor and small claims mediation to a variety of family mediation programs including support to foster youth and their families, older adults facing transitions, parents and teens, and youth involved in the juvenile justice system.

About Creative Mediation, a division of Wilshire Community Services

  • Founded in 1991 by a concerned group of attorneys and community members in San Luis Obispo County, Creative Mediation launched its first mediation program as an alternative to court litigation. Today, Creative Mediation is a division of Wilshire Community Services and remains committed to helping individuals and organizations transform difficult conflicts into opportunities for creativity, mutual gain and positive change. Whether it is mediating conflict, improving communication, or educating our community, Creative Mediation provides professional mediation, facilitation, and training services to help people and organizations reach their goals.
  • Creative Mediation is a member of the National Association For Community Mediation
  • Creative Mediation is a program of Wilshire Community Services, a 501 (c) 3 not-for-profit community benefit organization.