Recent events
Community Gifts Help Make Expansion Possible
Saints Healthcare Foundation's October 24 gala was a night of fun and fundraising for the guests, including long-time volunteers and donors, members of the medical community and other community leaders who share a commitment to benefiting St. Francis Regional Medical Center and St. Gertrude's Health and Rehabilitation Center.
This was the first gala hosted by the Foundation since merging the St. Francis and St. Gertrude's Foundations. The evening celebrated one very meaningful purpose: the unveiling of an aggressive and greatly needed fundraising campaign to expand St. Gertrude's Rehabilitation Center by 30 beds.
The sold-out gala raised $120,000 for the cause. When added to the nearly $1.4 million raised immediately prior to the event, the Foundation is now just $400,000 from reaching its $2 million fundraising goal for the project.
"Being able to launch this campaign to our family of supporters in today's challenging economy—with support from committed community organizations, physician groups, board members and long-time area supporters, when dollars are so tight —speaks volumes about our communities' commitment to ensure that a rehabilitation bed is available when our loved ones need it most," says Mary Clem, Executive Director, Saints Healthcare Foundation. The additional beds will serve many of the people who must currently be turned away.
A pivotal part of the evening's program was announcing and celebrating the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community's $1 million matching gift in support of the Rehabilitation Center expansion project. A matching gift means every dollar raised by the community for the project will be matched by one dollar from the Shakopee Mdewakanton, up to a total of $1 million.
SMSC Vice-Chairman Glynn A. Crooks was invited onstage to make the announcement. "We are happy to be able to support both St. Gertrude's and St. Francis with this donation of $1 million to the Saints Healthcare Foundation."
The Foundation will be approaching other leaders to join the team as it seeks the remaining $400,000 to get this Rehabilitation Center goal within reach.
The evening celebrated teamwork—not just the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community's willingness to team with the St. Francis and St. Gertrude's healthcare campus, but also the St. Gertrude's employees who donated $50,000; St. Gertrude's, St. Francis and Saints Healthcare Foundation's board members and their organizations who donated $182,000; and three long-time donors who gave $200,000. "These donors demonstrate the value of teamwork and collaboration—how a few key leaders supporting an important cause can make life better."
Thank you to Joan Fawcett, Foundation Senior Development Associate, who produced the event, the gala committee, countless volunteers, and so many others who made the evening such a success.
For more information, contact:
Joan E. Fawcett
Senior Development Associate
(952) 428-2072
E-mail Joan.