SPECIAL EVENTS

Justiceworks facilitates community education and discussion forums on justice issues , including the annual Martin Luther King Community Celebration,  National Law Day activities, coffee shop conversation and  educational symposiums;  Justiceworks community education events provide opportunities for community involvement  and also recognize volunteer achievements.

2012 Community Special Events

Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Celebration Event – View more details here.

2011 Community Special Events

Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Celebration 2011

2010 Community Special Events

2010 Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Celebration

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Celebration, January 18, 2010  at the Stevens Point Senior High School Auditorium, 1201 North Point Drive, Stevens Point, WI featured keynote speaker, William Fulton J.D.. Mr. Fulton spoke about his experience as a teenager living with civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and working in the civil rights movement.  Musical guests included the Stevens Point Senior High School Concert Choir, PJ Jacobs Choir, Barbershoppers, and dance performance by Dance Education Center. The John Klismet Justiceworks award was presented to 2010 award recipient Charles Fernandez.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Celebration supports restorative justice principles by educating our area youth and communities to the significance of the civil rights movement and the importance of equal justice opportunities. In addition, the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Celebration encourages community members to participate in local restorative justice initiatives. This interfaith-based restorative justice event is growing due to the support of many interfaith and multi-cultural organizations in Portage County.

2010 Justiceworks Annual Meeting event in recognition of National Law Day Monday, April 26, 2010

Restorative Justice in Central Wisconsin: Making Community Programs Work

Featured Speakers: Justiceworks at the Movies: presentation by Board President Tom Staack; Justiceworks in 3-D:  Volunteers and service recipients spoke about their experiences with the Volunteers in Probation, Family Law Information Center and Restitution Mediation programs. Refreshments were provided by Divinity Dining, a local catering business providing employment opportunities for ex-offenders, Coffee was provided compliments of Emy J’s. The Annual Business meeting for the Justiceworks’ Voting Members followed the community program.

2010 Justiceworks Half-Marathon and 5K Run/Walk

Race results available here.

2009 Community Special Events

2009 Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Celebration

Held on Monday, January 19, 2009 from 7:00 -8:30 p.m. at the Stevens Point Area Senior High School, 1201 Northpoint Drive, Stevens Point, WI, the MLK program featured Dr. Jeremi Suri as keynote speaker. In 2007, Dr. Suri was named by the Smithsonian Magazine as one of America’s “Top Young Innovators” in the humanities and sciences.  Dr. Suri addressed the significance of the civil rights movement and examined the historical meaning of the civil rights movement within the context of current events.  Also included in the program was music from the SPASH choir, hip hop group “Rhymz Suhreal” and special music commissioned for the event from composer Will Louis-Brux.

2009 National Law Day Annual Meeting Event

Justiceworks hosted the community event “The Opportunity of Crisis” on April 28 in recognition of National Law Day, 2009. The featured speaker was the Honorable Judge Edward R. Brunner, Appellate Judge, District III Court of Appeals. See the poster here.

2009 Judicial Elections and All That Jazz Community Symposium

The “Judicial Elections and All That Jazz” community forum featured the book The Appeal by John Grisham with a presentation on judicial elections by UWSP Professor John Blakeman and book discussion moderated by UWSP Professor David Arnold.  Participants enjoyed Emy J’s refreshments. Live music from jazz trio Fortune Cookie following the discussion.
Objectives of the event were to promote understanding of the:

• Legal and electoral process
• Judicial role
• Considerations involved in making an informed  voting decision

2009 Constitution Day Symposium

Judicial Elections: Navigating the Collision Course

In response to misleading and deceptive advertising that has marred recent judicial elections, Justiceworks, Ltd., together with the Portage County Bar Association and UWSP sponsored a Symposium entitled Judicial Elections: Navigating the Collision Course on September 17^th at the Holiday Inn and Convention Center, Stevens Point. The conference was a full-day event  qualifying for continuing professional education credits and featured speakers, breakout sessions and a panel discussion.

The History of Constitution Day (an excerpt from About.com)

On September 17, 1787, forty-two of the 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention held their final meeting. Only one item of business occupied the agenda that day, to sign the Constitution of the United States of America.

Since May 25, 1787, the 55 delegates had gathered almost daily in the State House Independence Hall in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation. By the middle of June, it became apparent to the delegates that to merely amend the Articles of Confederation would not be sufficient. Instead, they would write an entirely new document designed to clearly define and separate the powers of the central government, the powers of the states, the rights of the people and how the representatives of the people should be elected.

After being signed in September of 1787, Congress sent printed copies of the Constitution to the state legislatures for ratification. In the months that followed, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay would write the Federalist Papers in support, while Patrick Henry, Elbridge Gerry, and George Mason would organize the opposition to the new Constitution. By June 21, 1788, nine states had approved the Constitution, finally forming “a more perfect Union.”

No matter how much we argue about the details of its meaning today, in the opinion of many, the Constitution signed in Philadelphia on September 17, 1787 represents the greatest expression of statesmanship and compromise ever written. In just four hand-written pages, the Constitution gives us no less than the owners’ manual to the greatest form of government the world has ever known. We have no tribal council, nor can we vote anybody off the island. But, we do live in the land of the free, and as long as the Constitution stands, we always will.

2009 Justiceworks Half-Marathon and 5K Run/Walk

Race results available at here.

2008 Community Special Events

2008 Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Celebration

On January 21, 2008, UWSP professor emeritus Paul Mertz and the Honorable Judge Frederic Fleishauer were special guests at this special event. Judge Fleishauer gave a talk entitled “Martin Luther King’s Wisconsin in 2008″.

50th Year Anniversary of Law Day (May 1, 2008)

The Rule of Law: Foundation for Communities of Opportunity and Equity

President John F. Kennedy said “by strengthening the rule of law we strengthen freedom and

justice.” The May 1, 2008, 50th anniversary theme for Law Day was The Rule of Law:

Foundation for Communities of Opportunity and Equity. We all have a stake in the rule of law,

and we all can do our part to strengthen it. The rule of law refers to a system of self-government

with a strong and accessible legal process

National Law Week events:

Monday, April 28th, 5:00-7:00 p.m.
Justiceworks Community Law Week Kick-Off Event: Community Restorative Justice Response for Opportunity and Equity under the Law.
Portage County Annex Building. Conference Room 5, 1462 Strongs Avenue, Stevens Point
Special guest speakers were community members from the Riverside House who relayed personal stories of tragedy and triumph in dealing with and overcoming alcohol and drug addiction. The public learned how drug and alcohol addiction problems contribute to growing problems within the justice system. Refreshments and music followed the presentation. The free event was open to all community members.
Sponsored by Justiceworks, Ltd.

Tuesday, April 29th, 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Panel Discussion “Portage County Justice and You”
Dreyfus University Center, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Introductory Remarks: Honorable Judge Frederic Fleishauer: “The Rule of Law: Community Justice in Balance”
Local leaders in the justice system participated in a panel discussion to address community questions regarding the legal process and our community response to crime. The free event was open to all community members.
Sponsored by League of Women Voters of the Stevens Point Area, UWSP Student Legal Society, Portage County Bar Association and Justiceworks,Ltd.

Wednesday, April 30th: Noon.-1 p.m.
Community Brown Bag Luncheon: “The McDonald’s Coffee Spill Verdict”
Presentation by Attorney David Sunby, Habush, Habush & Rottier SC
Pinery Room, Portage County Library
The public learned what really happened in the infamous personal injury case involving a woman who went through a McDonald’s drive thru and spilled hot coffee in her lap. The free event was open to all community members. The presentation was also made available to all area civic organizations during the month of May.

Sponsored by Portage County Bar Association

April 28-May 2
Attorneys in the Classroom: Dialogue on the Rule of Law
Attorneys and judges from the county visited local schools to lead junior high and high school students in dialogues on the Rule of Law.
Sponsored by Portage County Bar Association and Justiceworks, Ltd.

Thursday, May 1, Noon-1 p.m.
Portage County Legal Aid Society Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon
Thank you luncheon for PCLAS volunteers and PCLAS/Justiceworks Family Law Information Center volunteers
Sponsored by Portage County Legal Aid Society

Friday, May 2, Noon-2 p.m.
Family Law Information Center Grand Opening.
The event marked the opening of the Family Law Information Center (FLIC). The FLIC services all members of the community as a resource center for legal process information.

Sponsored by Portage County Legal Aid Society and Justiceworks, Ltd.

 

2008 Justiceworks Half-Marathon and 5K Run/Walk: Race results are atPerformanceTiming.com