N. Hills Hospice benefit ball theme chosen

SPEARFISH - "Rhythm of the Night" has been selected as the theme for the 11th Annual 2008 Hospice of the Northern Hills Benefit Ball. Virginia Schmunk submitted the winning theme at the 2007 ball. As the winner, she will receive four tickets to the formal, black-tie-optional benefit fundraiser, according to Mavis Jewitt, Hospice of the Northern Hills director.

Each year, organizers host a theme-naming contest for the ball, which will be held on March 1, 2008, at Northern Hills Holiday Inn Convention Center. Last year's ball, which sold out, raised more than $31,000 for hospice patients in the Northern Black Hills. The evening includes a formal gourmet dinner, dance music by the Dick Dittman Band and a live auction. A ticket costs $60 or $70 if bought after Feb. 14. To sponsor, donate, reserve tickets or for more information, call Hospice of the Northern Hills at 644-4242.

Panel to discuss attention deficit disorder

RAPID CITY - Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder, or CHADD, will give a two-hour presentation "AD-HD: Accurate Diagnosis and Effective Interventions" at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 15, at Rapid City Public Library, 610 Quincy St.

Panel members include Dr. Amanda Diehl, CHADD president Christy Schultz, psychologist Robert Arnio, Nancy Musegades of South Dakota Navigator Program, Nancy Clary of Ninth Grade Academy and Tali Salisbury, a Youth & Family Services mental health therapist. The panel will discuss accurate diagnosis, effective interventions, the range of intervention options and solutions for some of the problems that often accompany ADHD behaviors. A question and answer period will be offered.

Grant to help patients get cancer treatment

PIERRE - In an effort to make health care more accessible in rural areas, the American Cancer Society awarded the River Cities Public Transit in Pierre a $10,000 Access to Treatment Grant. The grant money will allow River Cities Public Transit to expand service and connect rural patients to major treatment centers in Rapid City, Sioux Falls, Watertown, Aberdeen, Mitchell, Pierre and Yankton. River Cities Public Transit provides service to Sully, Hughes, Stanley, Jones, Lyman, Hyde and Potter counties with seven-day-a-week connection to inter-city bus lines, which travel all over the state. Caregivers ride for free. If you are a cancer patient and need help getting to treatment, call the American Cancer Society toll-free at 1-800-227-2345.

Suicide Survivors Day observed with program

RAPID CITY - The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, or AFSP, will host the Ninth Annual National Survivors of Suicide Day on Nov. 17. The Front Porch Coalition and the Black Hills Area Survivors of Suicide Support Group will co-host a free local program at 9 a.m. Saturday at Rapid City Regional Hospital's West Auditorium.

Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.; pre-registration is encouraged. The local conferences will join in a satellite and Internet broadcast from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, which will offer emotional support, information and resources for healing. The broadcast also will feature a panel of survivors and mental health professionals. A memorial service and breakout group will follow the national broadcast after lunch.

The 90-minute program will be broadcast on the AFSP Website from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time at www.afsp.org with live online chat following the broadcast.

To pre-register for the Rapid City event, contact the Front Porch Coalition at 348-6692, 401 Third St. Suite No. 4, Rapid City, SD 57701 or e-mail: info@frontporchcoalition.org.

Group to raise awareness of mood disorders

RAPID CITY - Depression and Bipolar Support Group will meet from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. today, Nov. 12, at Rapid City Regional Hospital in the Rushmore Room. Anyone interested in learning more about mood disorders is welcome to attend.