The 8th Annual Mid-America Institute on Aging Conference will take place Thursday and Friday, August 13 and 14 at the University of Southern Indiana in Evansville. Opening what has become one of the Midwest's premier conferences on healthy aging will be National Geographic researcher, Dan Buettner, who was recently featured on The Today Show for his travels to "blue zones" around the world to study the planet's longest-living people. Dan is just one of several national, regional and local speakers who will share groundbreaking information at this year's event, co-sponsored by SWIRCA & More.         

Gratefully accepting nearly $800 for the Charlier Hospice Center from Maddie Williamson and her mother, Rhonda, are (left) Dave Schutte, Deaconess VNA Plus Development Program Director, and (right) Gloria Horton, Executive Director.

"She is very compassionate," says Rhonda Williamson of her daughter, Maddie, a North High School senior. "She took this senior project to heart."

Three years ago, Maddie's grandmother, Carol Sidenbender, passed away. Maddie wanted to remember her in a special way, so when it was time to do her senior project, she thought of the John and Betty Charlier Hospice Center, where her grandmother spent her final days. Under the guidance of her mentor, Natalie Lewis, Maddie coordinated a tee shirt sale, bake sale and a pork butt sale (with the help of Hickory Pit Stop and the Ellison family) and her efforts paid off with a total of $790.05 raised for the Center!

Maddie will attend the University of Southern Indiana this fall and says, "The people at the Charlier Center were so amazing, they inspired me to consider nursing as a career." Maddie adds that she could not have accomplished this fundraising effort without the support of her parents, Rhonda and Mike Williamson, and her grandfather, Gary Sidenbender.

And of course, Maddie's big heart.

Gloria Horton, Deaconess VNA Plus Executive Director