Steamboat Pilot & Today

Conflict resolution workshop Friday

Leadership Steamboat will host a workshop Friday featuring internationally known mediator Merle Lefkoff. The goal is to help community leaders in the Yampa Valley learn to better communicate and collaborate in pursuit of common goals.

Lefkoff's workshop will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Ranch at Steamboat conference room. The fee of $12 covers lunch and beverages. Reservations are required. Call 879-0882, ext. 210.

Lefkoff's work is based on the idea that constructive communication is key to building strong relationships and resolving conflicts. She has been a trainer/facilitator for the W.K. Kellogg Foundation National Fellows, the Salzburg Seminar in Austria, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management National Training Center, the Jerusalem Link and the American Leadership Forum, among others. She has been called in to mediate in conflicts in the Middle East, Northern Ireland and Bosnia.

Medical center wins silver, bronze medals

Yampa Valley Medical Center's Public Relations department was honored with three trophies at the Gold Leaf Awards banquet in Denver earlier this month.

Competing with hospitals and health care organizations of all sizes throughout the state, the medical center received silver and bronze medals in crisis communications. The public relations staff directed communications efforts for the Charles Horton backcountry survival story in April and the Yampa Valley Air Ambulance crash in January.

Contest judges, health care public relations professionals from Florida, noted a good balance in providing internal and external communications and providing news to national and local media.

In the writing category, Christine McKelvie's Monday Medical columns in the Steamboat Today placed second for a silver leaf award. Judges commented on writing skills, variety of topics and helpful information for the community.

McKelvie and Mindy Fon-taine attended the banquet.

-- To submit briefs, call 871-4205 or e-mail tross@steamboatpilot.com