The San Antonio Bar Foundation created the Peacemaker Award in 1995 to celebrate and honor individuals who are engaged in anti-violence initiatives efforts in our community.  Since the first awards were conveyed, the Peacemaker Awards have honored “unsung heroes” in our community.  

The 2009 Peacemaker Awards Gala will be held on March 27, 2009, at the beautiful Grand Hyatt San Antonio, beginning with a cocktail reception at 6 p.m. Friends of the business and legal community and families of the Peacemaker honorees will come together to benefit the Peer Mediation (AIM) program in Bexar County and other charitable projects of the San Antonio Bar Foundation.

The Peacemaker Awards Gala’s special focus is on the Amigos in Mediation (AIM) program. AIM is the groundbreaking Peer Mediation Program administered by the Bexar County Dispute Resolution Center, which is transforming our schools by creating a culture of peaceful dispute resolution. Since 1999, the AIM Program has been assisting schools to establish self-sustaining peer mediation programs which enable students to resolve their own conflicts without the intervention of school staff through the use of students trained as peer mediators. AIM offers peer mediation training and consultation services to elementary, middle and high schools within all 15 school districts in Bexar County. Participating schools are encouraged to select students to be trained as peer mediators from a broad cross-section of the student population in order to assure representation across gender, ethnic and economic sectors of the school population spectrum.  As of August 2008, 118 Bexar County schools have active peer mediation programs and 13,017 students have been trained as peer mediators.  These student peer mediators have conducted 11,332 mediations and 97% of those mediations have resulted in agreements between the disputing students.  

In addition to raising funds, the Peacemakers Awards Gala honors outstanding efforts to develop a culture of nonviolence and peace. There are four Peacemaker Awards presented:

(1) Peacemaker Award: recognizing an individual or entity who has promoted non-violent resolutions to community conflicts;

(2) Corporate Community Service Award: recognizing a business entity or member of the business community for fostering and performing community service;

(3) Carolyn Thurmond Community Service Award: recognizing a lawyer who has demonstrated outstanding service to our community.

(4) School Peer Mediation Award – recognizing a school for implementing and supporting peer mediation.

The San Antonio Bar Foundation is pleased to announce the Peacemaker Award recipients for 2009!  

2009 Peacemaker Award honoree is the San Antonio Food Bank for their outstanding and nationally recognized effort as a leader in the fight against hunger and improving our community through efficient programs and services.

2009 Corporate Community Service Award honoree is business leader Richard H. “Rick” Cavender for his efforts in promoting and teaching the value of community service to the youth of San Antonio through City Year San Antonio and other important community initiatives.  

2009 Carolyn Thurmond Community Service Award honoree is attorney Thomas “Tommy” J. Smith.  Mr. Smith encourages peace on a daily basis as a respected mediator and also as a mentor to young up-and-coming leaders in San Antonio through a monthly breakfast group. 

2009 School Peer Mediation Award recipient is Encino Park Elementary School.  The school and its students will be recognized for their efforts in implementing and supporting peer mediation.  

RAFFLE TICKETS:

2009 Peacemaker Awards
Raffle Drawing on March 27, 2009

“Round ‘Em Up” – A year of golf for four at the top 12 premiere San Antonio Golf Courses

“Music Lovers Delight” – San Antonio Symphony season ticket subscription for two (classical or pops)

“Shop ‘til Ya Drop” - $1000 shopping spree at the Shops at La Cantera and a $150 gift certificate to Julian Gold with make-over package

“Go Spurs Go” – Autographed basketball by Robert Horry; spurs tickets and parking passes to 4 games.

“Guys Night Out” – 2009 – 2010 Rampage Season Rampage Suite Night, includes 22 suite tickets; 5 parking passes, 4 guest passes & 11 Game Program; also includes a $500 gift certificate to Chris Casseb Clothing

“Family Fun Pack” – Season passes to SeaWorld San Antonio, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, and the San Antonio Zoo and the Witte Museum

“Romantic Cape Cod Get-a-Way for Two” – Five night stay at the Commodore Inn by the Beach on Cape Cod. Includes light breakfast, deluxe room and champagne upon arrival.

TICKET PRICE - $25 each or buy 4 and get one free!
(need not be present to win)

SPONSORSHIPS:

$10,000 Community Leader:  

Corporate or firm name referenced as a Community Leader in Bexar County during gala sponsorship development, meetings, luncheons and related discussions and correspondence with other San Antonio corporations and law firms

Special recognition at the beginning of Peacemaker Awards Gala

Premier table with seating for ten, wine and champagne service

Significant program and signage recognition

Repeated promotion in publications and press releases related to Peacemaker Awards

Media promotion to the extent possible

$5,000 Platinum Sponsor:  

Premier table with seating for ten, wine and champagne service

Significant program and signage recognition

Media promotion to the extent possible

$2,500 Gold Sponsor:  

Table seating ten with wine service

Significant program and signage recognition

Media promotion to the extent possible

$1,500 Silver Sponsor:  

Table seating ten

Program and signage recognition;

Media promotion to the extent possible.