Third Circle of Caring Award Dinner honored Cindy Hawkins

The Circle of Caring Award was created to recognize members of the Elkhart County community who embody Center for Hospice Care’s mission to improve the quality of living for all.  We are proud to honor Cindy Hawkins as the third recipient of this award in memoriam. Cindy’s intentional approach to both living fully and dying well embody the spirit of this award.

This year’s theme – Crowded Table: A Place for Everyone – reflects Cindy’s innate ability to live with natural kindness, quiet strength and a heart that held space for all. Those who knew her recall that  Cindy’s love language was hospitality. Whether around her kitchen table for “Mondays at Mom’s” or welcoming unexpected guests with a stocked pantry and a warm smile, Cindy never shied away from a crowded table – in fact, she welcomed it! She never allowed someone to feel like there wasn’t room for them or that they didn’t belong. Cindy’s legacy reflects a life well-lived, one that uplifted communities and made room for everyone. 

A committed follower of Christ, Cindy demonstrated her faith through the way she loved and cared for others. A longtime member of Clinton Frame Church, she invested her time and energy into organizing and creating events for national church events and youth programming, even serving as interim youth pastor for several years. Her approach to hospitality reflected the call in Hebrews 13:2: “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” This was a way of life for Cindy, who consistently opened her home and heart to both familiar faces and unexpected guests.

Cindy’s dedication to making others feel loved and welcomed didn’t end during her medical journey. Throughout her treatments, Cindy received phenomenal care from all her medical teams as she continued to foster connections in her community. This included the Center for Hospice Care team as they cared for Cindy in her home for five weeks. 

It is our privilege to honor Cindy in memoriam with the third Circle of Caring Award. Thank you to everyone who was a part of the festivities as we recognized an individual whose life was a true reflection of Center for Hospice Care’s campaign of celebrating lives well-lived.

Thank you to all of our sponsors! Your support allows us to keep our promise that no one who is eligible for hospice care will ever be turned away, regardless of their ability to pay.

Dinner Legend

Hawkins Family

Dinner Champions

Sarah and Wilbur Bontrager
Welter Foundation

Dinner Presenters

Lisa and Ron Fenech Foundation
Welch Packaging

Dinner Presenters

Reception Benefactors

Dinner Committee

Honorary Chair

Bertha Bontrager-Rhodes

Dinner Chairs

Alli Hawkins Stiffney
Jodi Spataro

Committee Members