Shepherdstown Area Independent Living (SAIL) is proud to announce that renowned surgeon, public health researcher and writer Dr. Atul Gawande will be the guest speaker at the 15th celebration of the founding of Beacon Hill Village and the subsequent village movement they inspired on Monday, Feb. 13 at 5 p.m.

The event will take place at Shepherd University’s Eram Ora Byrd Nursing Building, Room 111.

The conversation, entitled “Being Mortal’s Villages: The Value of Community and Choice as We Grow Older,” will feature a discussion on aging, living life with purpose, and how we can transform the possibilities for the later chapters of everyone’s life.

The event will begin at 5 p.m. and be simulcast from Boston to more than 150 of the 350-plus villages open and in development across the country, including Shepherdstown Area Independent Living. All are welcome to join SAIL for a viewing party and discussion afterward.

The Village Movement is a burgeoning, world-wide movement that champions an alternative approach for adults as they grow older.

Villages are unique in that they are created by and for older adults, empowering their members to make wise, safe and vibrant choices about how they wish to live.

All community members are invited to attend. Seating is, however, very limited. It is imperative, therefore, to make a reservation by call SAIL at 304-870-7245 no later than Feb. 6.

Shepherdstown Area Independent Living is a non-profit, membership organization dedicated to improving the experience of ageing and is committed to using community resources to fulfill its mission.