Stewardship Report
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2 012 STEWARDSHIP REPORT GUNDERSEN MEDICAL FOUNDATION GUNDERSENHEALTH.ORG/FOUNDATION OUR MISSION Focused on medical education, research and community health outreach, Gundersen Medical Foundation is dedicated to advancing quality healthcare. A. Erik Gundersen, MD, presents a brief history lesson during Gundersen Medical Foundation’s recognition event for Founders and Legacy Society members. To learn more about the Foundation’s mission, or to inquire about making a charitable gift, please visit us at gundersenhealth.org/foundation or call the Foundation office at (608) 775-6600. This stewardship report is published by Gundersen Medical Foundation for our friends and supporters. Editor: Jill Blokhuis, CFRE, Director of Development Operations, Gundersen Medical Foundation Photography: Brooke Doval, John Kerrigan, Kristin Royalty and John Sake, Gundersen Medical Media Copywriting: Leslie Wegener, Juniper Hill Partners Design: Stephanie Fraase, Severson Design © 2012 Gundersen Medical Foundation, 1836 South Avenue, La Crosse, WI 54601 This report is printed on recycled paper. WELCOME Stewardship means many things to those of us at Gundersen Medical Foundation. In the broadest sense, stewardship involves the responsible oversight and protection of something worth caring for and preserving—our mission. The commitment to good stewardship is deeply embedded in our Foundation’s culture, and our history. I feel a personal connection to it every day as I sit at the desk once occupied by my friend, mentor and predecessor, Adolf L. Gundersen, MD. From this seat, I’ve had the honor of seeing many remarkable accomplishments this year, including progress on a new hospital that will be serving this community for the next 50 years. Before long, the Foundation’s next leader will take their seat at this same desk, champion this same mission, and be as grateful as I am to the people of this organization and this community for also being stewards of our cause. Many individuals choose to volunteer both time and talent in service on Foundation advisory boards and committees. As chairman of the Board of Directors, I extend sincere thanks to outgoing members Donald Frank, Colette Lasack, and Leé Ann Mathy for their Board service. We also extended a warm welcome to incoming directors Thomas Brock and Barbara Skogen, who joined the Board in 2012. Advancing quality healthcare through medical education, research and community health outreach is a cause worth caring for and preserving. It is a cause that is embraced by a caring community and sustained by your charitable gifts. In Gundersen Medical Foundation’s long, proud—and ongoing— tradition of good stewardship, we all play a role in creating the future. Mark V. Connelly, MD, Chairman, Gundersen Medical Foundation A major fundraising milestone was achieved in September thanks to another successful Steppin’ Out in Pink Walk. Proceeds from the 2012 event pushed the endowment for the Norman L. Gillette, Jr. Breast Cancer Research Fellowship to its funding goal of $2 million. The fellowship was established seven years ago with a gift from the families of Don and Norma Vinger and Norman L. Gillette, Jr. Now that the endowment is fully funded, future proceeds from Steppin’ Out in Pink will help further a growing array of breast cancer research initiatives at Gundersen Medical Foundation, including basic science and molecular research led by Carl Simon Shelley, DPhil, and the Oncology Research Lab. Leah Dietrich, MD, 2012 Steppin’Out in Pink Honorary Chair, Gundersen Health System DEVELOPMENT activities in 2012 yielded exceptional results. The total number of gifts received from benefactors exceeded 16,000 and translated to more than 60 gifts per business day, on average, for the entire year. That in itself is a significant measure of donor confidence in the work of Gundersen Medical Foundation. It also offers a simple, straightforward illustration of our approach to good stewardship, since each gift is acknowledged with a letter of thanks that is personally signed by our Foundation leaders. Hundreds of letters each week. Thousands of letters each year. It is a wonderful thing to be responsible for expressing the profound gratitude we feel each and every day for the charitable gifts that make the work of our Foundation possible. We are especially thankful that support from the community continues to grow. In 2012, our total number of donors increased by 6.7 percent over the previous year. Total gift income in 2012 reached an all-time high of over $18.9 million. Opposite page: General surgery resident Nicholas Czosnyka, MD, shows longtime Foundation friends Barbara and Donald Frank the advanced training equipment in use at Gundersen’s new Integrated Center for Education (ICE House). Special funds received a big boost in 2012 from donors More than $550,000 was received through the Foundation’s passionate about a specific cause. The Global Partners annual giving program—the Heritage Society—in 2012, program, which seeks to improve the overall health, which represents a two percent increase over the previous year. education and quality of life for partner communities in The annual fund is attracting new donors who have completed South Dakota, Nicaragua and Tanzania, received over initial pledges to the Campus Renewal capital campaign, and $140,000 in contributions for the year. are now choosing to direct their support to our Foundation’s ongoing programs and primary mission. Gundersen medical Nearly $45,000 in gifts, many in the form of memorials, staff and employees provide the backbone of our annual were directed to the Hospice support, with gifts totaling more than Fund to support program $385,000. Community members development for patients and Everybody at some time, contributed an additional $175,000. families, education related to hospice and palliative care, whether now or in the Gifts made as Lasting Tributes and equipment or services not (memorials and honorariums) covered by insurance. Over 100 future, is going to need grew by an astonishing 19 percent restricted funds exist under the in 2012. More than 3,400 people umbrella of our Foundation’s medical care. Gundersen made such gifts last year, donating more than $220,000 in memory main mission, offering many ‘‘is at the forefront of opportunities for donors to or in honor of someone special. make a difference In a year where our Foundation GUNDERSEN MEDICAL FOUNDATION - DEVELOPMENT everything—it’s the place in specific areas lost many longtime friends, it is of interest. I want to go when I need especially gratifying to be chosen as a beneficiary of their memorial gifts. care because it’s just like Our community continues to benefit from having had these generous coming home. I feel individuals as a friend, colleague or neighbor. They will be missed. comfortable and We were honored to be a everyone makes beneficiary of 11 estate gifts in 2012, which resulted in nearly me welcome.” $800,000 in support for Foundation programs and Children’s Miracle Verdayne Jorde Network Hospitals®. Our Legacy Rushford, Minnesota Society continues to grow; over the year 12 new members notified us of their generous decision to include the Foundation in their estate plans. They join a select group of more than 330 individuals who have chosen to ensure their support for quality healthcare continues beyond their lifetime. The Foundation’s Global Partners Fund helps support volunteer service trips to Nicaragua that focus on a variety of areas, from conducting health assessments in rural communities, working with schools, or providing specialty training to Nicaraguan providers. In July 2012, volunteers like Zack Nigogosyan (above) spent a week conducting public health activities in the community of La Grecia, located in the San Ramon network of the Matagalpa region of Nicaragua. Comprehensive health assessment data was gathered through home to home interviews, meetings with community leaders, observations, and individual health assessments for over 200 men, women and children. GUNDERSENHEALTH.ORG/FOUNDATION CAMPUS RENEWAL continued to make dramatic progress throughout 2012. The community gathered together last March to celebrate the final steel beam placed in the new Inpatient Behavioral Health building, which was nearly complete by year’s end and on schedule for opening in February, 2013. The new Integrated Center for Education (ICE House) officially opened in 2012, offering the very latest in advanced surgical training and education for Gundersen Medical Foundation residents, Gundersen surgeons, operating room staff and visiting doctors. The skyline on our La Crosse Campus was transformed when the two towering cranes being used to build the new hospital were removed in late October. That milestone signaled the near completion of the building exterior, shifting work to the interior with full force. I believe in the vision of our organization and leadership, so I really wanted to be a part of Campus Renewal. I don’t work in patient care, but I know what a difference that new hospital will make for our staff. It’s exciting!” ‘‘ Ellie Schmidt, Organizational Development, Gundersen Health System GUNDERSEN MEDICAL FOUNDATION - CAMPUS RENEWAL A group of Gundersen Health System staff touring the hospital construction zone. Following announcement of the public capital campaign in early 2012, nearly 3,000 donors made gift commitments that exceeded $5 million over the course of the year. By the end of 2012, campaign totals were just under $42 million thanks to the superb efforts of campaign leadership. Moving forward to our fundraising goal, it is exciting to realize the first patients will be seen in the new hospital in January 2014. GUNDERSENHEALTH.ORG/FOUNDATION CHILDREN’S MIRACLE NETWORK HOSPITALS® Five special kids were chosen as our Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals GUNDERSEN MEDICAL FOUNDATION - CHILDREN’S MIRACLE NETWORK HOSPITALS Heroes for 2012-2013. Their stories are great examples of the bravery and resilience all our CMN Hospitals kids show when faced with medical adversity. Throughout the year, our heroes help raise awareness about how donor support gives kids in our region longer, healthier and happier childhoods.