Guest column: Big Ed’s Memorial Golf Tournament a success

By Community Mediation Services of Anderson County

The successful 13th Annual Big Ed’s Memorial Golf Tournament on April 25, 2014, continued a long tradition that combines a great day of golf with active commitment to Anderson County youth and families through Community Mediation Services. The Oak Ridge Country Club provided a beautiful setting for 140 golfers. Team winners for the first flight were Mike Malicote, Jeff Golliher, Jake Reeves, and Roger Claiborn. The team winning the second flight included Benjie Shuler, Jackson Vaughn, Mark Bragg, and Luke Cabbage.

Community Mediation Services of Anderson County is the beneficiary of Big Ed’s Memorial Golf Tournament, emphasizing the importance David Neusel and Big Ed Neusel placed on helping youth and families in our area in a constructive and positive way. Community Mediation Services has worked with youth and families in Anderson County for 28 years, promoting the peaceful resolution of community conflicts, using community resources. Our four programs include Victim Offender Reconciliation Program (VORP), Visitation Mediation, Teen/Parent Mediation, and Attendance Mediation. Mediators don’t take sides or make decisions, but do help people solve problems in ways that are decided and agreed upon by all. According to Executive Director Cindy Helton, the tournament raised more than $15,000, which enables CMS to continue to provide no-cost services to the families of Anderson County.

CMS is very grateful for the generosity of our numerous volunteers and sponsors throughout the area. A special thank you to major sponsors Big Ed’s Pizza, USEC, C&J Wealth Advisors, and Dr. John Burgess, DDS. We would also like to thank Enrichment, ORNL, and Y-12 Federal Credit Unions; ORAU; UCOR; Methodist Medical Center; McArthur Animal Hospital; and Apple Health and Wellness for their extra support.

Join us next April for the 14th Annual Big Ed’s Memorial Golf Tournament! Contact the CMS office at (865) 463-6888 or check out our website (www.peacefulresolution.org) for information about CMS, volunteer opportunities including volunteer mediator training, and next year’s tournament.