Imagine living in a community whose cultural norm is respectful, effective resolution to conflict.

What would that look like in our public schools, neighborhoods, and businesses? What if respectful dialogue was the standard applied to our toughest conversations -- healthcare, immigration, transportation, education?

During the last year, a tireless corps of community leaders has dedicated countless hours and extraordinary expertise to explore that vision for Southern Arizona.

Working alongside Our Family staff, this group of volunteers from a multitude of backgrounds brought their shared passion for increasing access to alternative dispute techniques to the table to create the Center for Community Dialogue, a central hub for resources, services and training in a variety of communication and conflict-resolution practices.

Our Family's Community Mediation program has been helping Tucsonans resolve their disagreements since 1979. Hundreds of volunteers have been trained in mediation, and they have helped thousands of Southern Arizonans come up with their own solutions to neighbor, workplace and personal disputes. Today, that program continues as part of the menu of services of the Center, along with facilitation services, training in a variety of communication methods, and community events that help build skills and spark constructive dialogue.

Our community is extremely fortunate to be home to experts like Ann Yellott, Mark Homan, Pila Martinez, Rita Pollak, Dot Kret and Del Jones. These individuals have not only given of their time serving as leaders and volunteers but exemplified the spirit of collaborative community-building by bringing together diverse groups and interests in a central hub to make most effective use of our collective resources.

Our Family Services is grateful for the leadership and talents of the Center's Leadership Council, and proud to recognize them as 2012 Volunteers of the Year for their extraordinary expertise, energy, and vision for creating a community that embraces inclusivity, civility, and respect.