Last night, the Waisman Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison celebrated 40 years of improving lives through research, service, training and outreach.

A contingency of Fox Valley leaders made up 26 of the 450 guests at Monona Terrace for this special dinner.

Dr. Harry Waisman had a vision more than 40 years ago to create a multidisciplinary center – a center that would bring doctors and researchers together from different disciplines – all to benefit individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.

The list of accomplishments achieved by the researchers at the center is astounding. You can learn about the discoveries of gene transfer, the connection between the size of a brain and autism, stem cell research and more on their website: waisman.wisc.edu.

Needless to say, hearing about these accomplishments was quite humbling.

It takes someone with great vision and desire to create such a unique facility. Furthermore, it takes people with great passion to continue to carry out that mission for 40 years.

The Appleton Education Foundation formed a partnership with the Waisman Center seven years ago. The goal was to bring knowledge and expertise about early childhood brain development to the Appleton area. Since then, AEF has held an annual “Brain to Five” Community Education Program and often features the world-class researchers from the Waisman Center.

Thanks to the partnership with the Waisman Center, the Community Education Program has been a success. AEF is proud to offer these educational opportunities for parents, grandparents, childcare professionals and all community members. The 2014 speakers will be announced this winter.

Madison, Appleton, the state, country and world are all better because of Dr. Harry Waisman and his successors.

Congratulations to the Waisman Center and its entire staff for a successful 40 years. Here’s to the next 40!