This Week At Mayo Clinic

Joe Kruse- No Longer Just A Wannabe

Have you ever wondered what people do once 5 oclock hits and they leave their work world behind?
For many, they go home to busy lives with family, household tasks and other commitments. Even with a
plethora of personal obligations, many employees still find time to take a step back and give to the community.
Joe Kruse, chief administrative officer, Mayo Clinic Health System- Franciscan Healthcare
demonstrated this generosity this past spring through the Conductor Wannabe event. Conductor Wannabe is an
annual event presented by the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra. This event gives wannabes the opportunity to
fundraise money to earn the chance to conduct the Orchestra. The two contestants with the most money raised
are no longer wannabes and get to live their dream of conducting. Half of the money raised by competitors
goes to the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra; the remaining portion goes directly to a charity of their choice.
The charity that Kruse chose was Gerard Hall and through his fundraising efforts he raised a whopping
grand total of $12,348, half of which went directly to Gerard Hall.
First established in 1936 by the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, Gerard Hall has been
assisting expecting mothers prepare for parenting and childbirth for more than 75 years. Gerard Hall offers a
safe haven for impoverished mothers who may need some assistance before, during and after childbirth. They
offer regular counseling sessions, medical appointments, and educational sessions about pregnancy, childbirth
and adoption. If women choose to parent their child, time is spent to help these women learn skills such as
parenting, breast feeding and child development. Gerard Hall is one of the few remaining licensed maternity
home in the Midwest and continues to persevere because of people who make an effort to shine a light on this
diamond in the ruff.
As one of the top finishers Kruse had the opportunity to conduct a movement of Georges Bizets first
Carmen Suite. Even though he was able to become a conductor for a day, Kruse still believes that doing good
for the community and for people in need was all the reward that he wanted.
If you would like to recognize someone who has given of themselves to assist the community
please email burgos.beth@mayo.edu

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Mayo Clinic Health System consists of Mayo-owned clinics, hospitals and other health care facilities that serve the health
care needs of people in 70 communities in Georgia, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The community-based providers,
paired with the resources and expertise of Mayo Clinic, enable patients in the region to receive the highest-quality health
care close to home.

About the Franciscan Healthcare History

The La Crosse based Franciscan Healthcare is a joint collaboration between Mayo Clinic Health System and cosponsored by the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration (FSPA). The relationship first formed in 1995 when
Franciscan Skemp Healthcare became part of the Mayo Clinic and Mayo Health System. The FSPA built St. Francis
Hospital in La Crosse back in 1883. Skemp Clinic was later founded in 1923 by Dr. Archibald Skemp.