Gundersen St. Joseph’s breaks ground on new facility project
After months of planning and many years of hoping, Gundersen St. Joseph’s officially broke ground on Oct. 18 for their new 64,000 square foot hospital and clinic.
It was standing room only as over 200 community members converged at the site of the new facility on Water Avenue to be part of the historic event which was broadcast live on Facebook.
Guests were welcomed by Gundersen St. Joseph’s mascot, Joe the Bald Eagle, and handed a commemorative spirit level, a keepsake for this very special day. Guests were also asked to sign pebbles as a “guestbook.” These pebbles will be placed in a vase and displayed in the new facility as recognition to all who helped break ground.
The proceedings began with a welcome by Jim Mlsna, chairman of the Board of Directors for Gundersen St. Joseph’s Hospital and Clinics. Mlsna gave an emotional speech which talked about the difficulties the organization faced before the affiliation with Gundersen Health System. Mlsna also noted that the staff has worked hard to over-come challenges and are now recognized as one of the top 20 critical access hospitals in the nation for quality.
Mlsna then introduced Danni Gearhart, CEO of Gundersen St. Joseph’s Hospital and Clinics, who recognized the support from the community, local and regional elected officials, present and former St. Joe’s staff and those who “came before us.” “These groups have been the life and have provided the inspiration and passion for Gundersen St. Joseph’s since our Hospital was first built. This passion burns as bright today as it did 65 years ago,” said Gearhart. “You may have heard me talk about making positive “ripples” in the community. Your support – the community’s support – of this project provides the biggest ripples of all. These ripples impact care well beyond our walls. Your support will make a difference for healthier patients, healthier staff and a healthier community.”
Gearhart was followed by Scott Rathgaber, MD, CEO of Gundersen Health System, who echoed the dedication of the staff who has “kept this place alive and kept the quality high” which has allowed them to invest in a building that “matches the excellence of the people who work here.” Rathgaber also spoke to the system’s dedication to “providing [patients] the services they need where they live.” “This new facility symbolizes our commitment to future generations who aren’t even here yet… and the health of our communities.”
Dr. Rathgaber was followed by David Prechel, a local businessman and co-chair of the campaign steering committee tasked with raising funds to support the construction project. Prechel provided an update on the status of the capital campaign. “We started with the employees of Gundersen St. Joseph’s,” Prechel began. “So far, the staff have raised over $99,000,” to which the crowd responded with applause. Prechel continued by identifying groups that had contributed to the campaign including St. Joseph’s leadership, St. Joseph’s Memorial Foundation, St. Joseph’s board of directors, St. Joseph’s medical staff and members of the campaign steering committee.
Source: WRJC.com
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