National Philanthropy Day event honors St. John Health volunteers
Joan Gehrke received the Jewel Award for Outstanding Volunteer .jpg)
Fundraiser in Memory of Edmund T. Ahee from the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP)–Greater Detroit Chapter at its National Philanthropy Day event. Joan, a generous philanthropist, dedicated volunteer and passionate leader, has dedicated hundreds of hours to fundraising for St. John Hospital and Medical Center (SJH&MC) for over 30 years. She volunteers on leadership committees, is a member of the Fontbonne Auxiliary, and serves as Chair of the St. John Hospital Foundation Board and as a trustee of the St. John Health Foundation. She recruited the hospital foundation’s Board of Trustees and led efforts to raise more than $30 million for SJH&MC’s recent expansion. In addition, she has helped raise funds for other hospital programs including Hospice and Home Care, the Holley Ear Institute, the Birthing Center and Pediatric Oncology. She has also generously made her own financial contributions to St. John and mobilized many others to support the hospital.
The AFP also honored Cassandra Foltyn and Francesco Lucarelli as Distinguished Volunteers on National Philanthropy Day.
Cassandra, a determined mother of young triplets, helps her daughter who has special physical needs strive to be as mobile as possible. Because the family has access to traditional physical therapy and the benefit of additional recreational, therapeutic activities, they wanted to help other children not as fortunate. Cassandra holds golf outings and wine-tasting fundraisers annually to benefit the Pediatric Rehabilitation Scholarship Fund at Providence Park Hospital.Francesco, a hard-driving achiever who loves adventure, strongly believes in giving back to others. After losing his mother to breast cancer, he was inspired to meet challenges head on. He partnered with the Champions for Life to raise funds to benefit cancer patients
at Van Elslander Cancer Center, SJH&MC. He has climbed two of the world’s highest mountain summits to honor his mother and raise funds through donations and is climbing Pikes Peak with a St. John team this year.
