REAL Services Hosts Diamond Gala and 30th Age of Excellence Awards

On Thursday, August 6, community members from across Northern Indiana gathered at South Bend’s Gillespie Conference Center to celebrate REAL Services’ Diamond Gala and 30th Annual Age of Excellence Awards. Event-goers enjoyed a cocktail hour, a catered dinner, a speech from keynote speaker, Chris Singleton, and a ceremony dedicated to the recipients of each Age of Excellence Award. The event concluded with a fundraiser and mingling of the guests.

For 60 years, REAL Services has served Northern Indiana as an accessible resource for adults struggling with financial and personal conditions. The program began in South Bend in 1966, following the closure of the Studebaker plant, leaving many factory working adults to fend for themselves without financial support.

Out of this loss, many assembled to support their neighbors through the Senior Dining Program, giving way to community and creating the foundation for what would become REAL Services.

Now, REAL Services continues to extend support to those struggling in Northern Indiana, focusing efforts on assisting older adults, individuals and families in need, and caregivers. The organization works to help citizens feel supported and taken care of, emphasizing dignity and compassion.

Since 1996, REAL Services has hosted the Age of Excellence Awards, dedicated to bringing attention to those that make a difference in the organization. This year marked a few notable firsts for the event, most prominently the combination with REAL Services’ 60th anniversary celebration.

President and CEO KJ Mapes spoke on the shift.

“In the past, it has been the Age of Excellence Awards. This year, because of the 60th anniversary, we combined them,” Mapes said. “It’s our first time having it in the evening, so that’s really cool and exciting and makes it a bit different from our past luncheons.”

The combination of REAL Services’ 60th anniversary celebration and the Age of Excellence Awards felt like a perfect fit to honor both the organization and the community that has supported it for so long.

Mapes shared her perspective.

“It’s really special that we’re combining the 60th anniversary of REAL Services with the 30th anniversary of the Age of Excellence because it’s people in the community that have made our organization so strong,” Mapes said. “Being able to recognize them is why the event is so special to me.”

Throughout the planning process, finding the balance between both events remained at the forefront, making sure to give each event the respect it deserved.

“We didn’t want to diminish the attention we give to the 30th Age of Excellence, but at the same time, we wanted to celebrate REAL Services. We had to think about how do you have a speaker and then also celebrate people, and how do you make sure those things tie together,” Mapes said. “When I met Chris and heard his story, I was like, ‘There’s my answer.’”

Singleton’s connection to South Bend comes from his time as a professional baseball player, having played for the South Bend Cubs through baseball’s farming system after being drafted by the Chicago Cubs. During this time, he stayed at St. Paul’s Retirement Community in South Bend. To Singleton, coming back to South Bend to share his story felt like a full circle moment.

“When I heard about what the event was, and who would be here, there was no-doubt,” Singleton said. “I feel like coming back to South Bend, getting to make an impact on those that make an impact in this community is a blessing for me.”

A nationally renowned speaker, Singleton’s message focuses on fostering unity among audiences and beyond. In 2015, his mother was killed in the 2015 shooting at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, a hate crime that took the lives of nine people and injured another individual. Singleton has focused on turning the tragic loss of his mother into a mission to bring people together, attending speeches across the country every year and inspiring countless listeners.

Singleton’s speech for REAL Services centered around not only the passing of his mother, but also his time in South Bend and the warmth he received from the community, especially from those at St. Paul’s Retirement Community, who welcomed him with open arms and hearts.

Master of ceremonies and award-winning co-anchor of WNDU’s 16 Morning News Now, Tricia Sloma, shared her hopes for the speech to move the audience.

“I hope people walk away inspired with the motivation to do good and to help support our elderly and also those who are underserved in our community because the need is great,” Sloma said.

Since the beginning of the Age of Excellence Awards, WNDU has served as a partner with REAL Services, offering coverage and emcee services. Sloma has served as an emcee for three years following the departure of former emcee and WNDU anchor, Terry McFadden.

Sloma spoke further on REAL Services and their community efforts, praising the dedication of the group.

“This is one of the groups in our area that truly puts their money and service where they need to be,” Sloma said. “When you think of the underserved and elderly in our community, REAL Services is the only partner that really steps up and helps fill that gap.”

As the night continued, Sloma announced the awards for each honoree, including Wanda P. Dudley, who won Change Agent of the Year, Carl Hetler, awarded Sargent Shriver Champion of the Year, Milton Adult Day Services and Center for Hospice Care, who both received the Becky Zaseck Professional of the Year honor, and Spike Abernethy and Pete Mullen, who were both honored by the Les Fox Hoosier Lifetime Achievement Award. Rev. Dean R. Heisley received a posthumous Volunteer of the Year honor, which his son accepted on his behalf.

Following the awards, Mark McGill, South Bend Cubs emcee and local radio personality, hosted Fund the Need, the evening’s fundraiser, focused on ensuring accessible and affordable care for community members.

Mapes discussed the importance of the Fund the Need portion of the evening, highlighting the impact additional funding has on REAL Services and their mission.

“Organizations like ours are under huge challenges, including funding issues,” Mapes said. “Having events like this for the community allows people to donate and give money to help us do things we can’t do through our other funding.”

While the event changed various aspects this year, the work of REAL Services and various sponsors, partners, and community members produced an event that highlighted both the organization and the people who work to keep it afloat.

Mapes shared her gratitude for those who helped bring the event together.

“It just came together so well. I have two people who just went and ran with it, Monica Abair and Mary Bradfield. They really stepped up,” Mapes said. “We’re able to celebrate tonight because of our donors too. Chris being willing to come, Tricia being here, and then having Mark come in with a connection to the Cubs and Chris—it’s just really exciting.”

Through it all, the support for REAL Services stands out to Mapes as the most important part of the evening.

“It does a lot for us as an organization to say there’s 280 people in this room who think we’re important and that we’re still relevant and that our mission still matters,” Mapes said. “Our organization started because people cared about people that they knew, like their neighbors that needed help. They wanted to walk alongside them and make sure they did it in a way that showed compassion and dignity. That has never changed.”

For more information about REAL Services, you can visit realservices.org.