CENTER CELEBRATES LOCAL AND NATIONAL PEACEMAKERS

Our years are filled with special occasions to celebrate. But this year, the birthdays and bar mitzvahs, the weddings and anniversaries — well, they somehow feel even more special, now that we can gather in person.

Last night was one of my favorite celebrations: the Peacemaker Awards, hosted by the National Conflict Resolution Center. Since our first event in 1989, we have feted individuals and organizations that are waging peace in bold and innovative ways, here and across the country.

We continued the tradition yesterday, honoring a group of committed peacemakers.

One couple has dedicated their lives to serving others, drawing strength from personal challenges. Another honoree has brought hope and joy to people living on the streets of downtown San Diego, through song. And our national award winner — author of the bestselling book, “How Civil Wars Start (and How to Stop Them)” — has said that reclaiming our public discourse is the surest way to create a more hopeful future for our country.

Mary and Rolf Benirschke were recipients of the Philanthropy Award. If you are (or were) a Chargers fan, you know that Rolf was their All-pro and Hall of Fame place kicker for 10 seasons. And you may also know that in his second season with the team, Rolf nearly lost his life to ulcerative colitis.

The pain of that experience — Rolf had multiple surgeries — inspired his next career, as a philanthropist. Rolf started a program called “Kicks for Critters,” making a donation to the San Diego Zoo every time he kicked a field goal. And he partnered with the San Diego Blood Bank to launch the annual Chargers Blood Drive, which has collected more than 140,000 units of blood since inception.

Rolf has also been a longtime supporter and advocate on behalf of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation. Along with raising public awareness about these difficult illnesses, Rolf regularly talks with patients, providing the inspiration and hope that can only come with a shared experience. His Legacy Foundation has raised more than $7.5 million for CCF and nonprofits in our community.

Mary Benirschke is a philanthropist in her own right. Her personal inspiration grew out of raising four children, three of whom have developmental disabilities. Later in his life, a son struggled with homelessness and addiction. Mary took to the streets of downtown San Diego, launching a program with the Rescue Mission that pairs an unsheltered person with a “neighbor” who can help them get their life together.

The recipient of our Local Peacemaker Award is also working with people experiencing homelessness, but in a very different way. Voices of Our City Choir uses music to change lives. Voices began as an idea in 2016, when co-founder Steph Johnson — a musician and jazz vocalist — saw the struggles of people living on the streets. Talking to them, she learned about their own musical talents.

It led to the founding of Voices of Our City Choir. Today, Voices has grown to more than 225 members. It operates as a nonprofit, connecting members to resources and housing, with 86 placements so far. The choir rehearses weekly and performs at events all over Southern California, including a successful 2020 audition on “America’s Got Talent.”

Our National Peacemaker honoree was Barbara F. Walter, the Rohr Professor of International Affairs at the School of Global Policy & Strategy at UC San Diego. Walter is one of the world’s leading experts on civil wars, political violence and terrorism. Her meticulously researched book suggests that a second civil war could happen here.

I wrote about Walter’s work last month in a column about Guy Reffitt, who threatened to shoot his kids if they revealed his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Walter said the willingness to resort to violence (and even turn against your own children) is symptomatic of a new extremism in America that believes modern society is irredeemable and its end must be hastened.

As terrifying as this sounds, Walter expressed optimism last night about the future of our democracy. She believes that our shared history and ideals can inspire and guide us, reviving our national pride. And she acknowledged that the work of organizations like the National Conflict Resolution Center is critical in combating the factionalism that’s at the root of our problems.

Our honorees — the Benirschkes, Voices of Our City Choir and Dr. Walter — have different approaches to peacemaking. They demonstrate that one needn’t be Nelson Mandela or Mother Teresa to make a difference in our society. There’s a path forward for each and every one of us. We should celebrate the journey.

Dinkin is president of the National Conflict Resolution Center, a San Diego-based group working to create solutions to challenging issues, including intolerance and incivility. To learn about NCRC’S programming, visit ncrconline.com