Left to right are Dr. Matt Nofziger, who accepted the Founder’s Award for his late father Dr. Terry Nofziger, Evelyn Shellenberger, NP, Dr. Wallace Shellenberger, and Dr. Luke Mosemann.

 

 

 

MITCHELL, Indiana – Fifty years ago five young medical professionals decided to forego financial opportunities and instead move to Orange County to set up a rural health clinic. The clinic, later to be known as Southern Indiana Community Health Care (SICHC),  would be grounded in community service, reflecting the personal faith of the founders Dr. Terry L. Nofziger, Dr. Luke B. Mosemann, Dr. Richard D. Graber, Dr. Wallace Shellenberger and Evelyn Shellenberger, NP.

Fifty years later, Gov. Mike Braun formally proclaimed Nov. 14 as “Community Health Care Day” to honor how the original Paoli clinic had expanded to serve thousands of patients in five counties in Southern Indiana, expanding well beyond its original Orange County roots to serve patients in Crawford and Lawrence counties as a certified Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). More than 150 people from the region, including Orange County Councilman Marshall Noble, attended the event at the Spring Mill State Park Inn.

During the three-hour dinner and celebration, three of the founders, former Lt. Gov Sue Ellsperman, numerous department and service heads, and current leaders, alternatively related powerful stories and anecdotes of service. Many of the accounts reflected the challenges of delivering high quality healthcare in rural areas. In accepting recognition for his later father, a physician son of one the founders, Dr. Matt Nofziger, described the special spirit of unique medical service that was embodied on all of the presentations by SICHC professionals.

Dr. Ellspermann, who recently retired as President of Ivy Tech in Indiana, commented: “I am so glad to have gotten to share in the event and learn the amazing impact and beautiful stewardship of SICHC’s team across 50 years.  Everyone who works is blessed to work with such an amazing team and there is no way to describe the founders other than truly being the hands and feet of Christ.  It was a gift to my soul to participate in the evening.”

Before presentations by current SICHC leaders, including CEO Nancy Radcliff and Medical Director Dr. Yolanda Yoder, Dr. Brandy Terrill relayed the broad impact of SICHC. To underscore this fact, she read from Gov. Braun’s proclamation, which formally recognized how the work of SICHC “reflects the ‘Power of Community Health Care,’ showing how local vision, collaboration, and compassion can transform health outcomes and restore hope in rural and underserved regions.”

SICHC Board chair Carla McSpadden presented each of the founders (or representatives) with formal recognition and thanks, and CEO Nancy Radcliff concluded the evening with stories of service across the decades. The three original providers finished the evening by delivering a personal blessing for continued outstanding and compassionate service.

 

 

 

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About the Southern Indiana Community Health Care nonprofit organization

Well-known as a high-impact health care provider committed to continuity of care, the nonprofit Southern Indiana Community Health Care (SICHC) organization is committed to providing high-quality, comprehensive, community-sensitive health care utilizing Christ-centered principles to medically underserved, rural communities. As a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), SICHC serves as a “safety net” provider for vulnerable populations and focuses on increasing access to primary care services for Medicaid and Medicare patients in rural communities. SICHC offers medical care in medically underserved areas of Crawford, Lawrence, and Orange counties. Southern Indiana Community Health Care is a member of the National Health Services Corps and receives program funding from Health Resources and Services. For more information, please visit: https://sichc.org/