November 2021
SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR
Since we embarked on the restoration of the Susan La Flesche Picotte Center, we have been fortunate to gain support from so many individuals and organizations that share our goals and inspiration. Grants and donations from several key organizations have enabled us to move enthusiastically to the third and final phase of restoration (see update below). Our heartfelt thanks to our donors and to all who contribute their faith and encouragement to this endeavor.
Nebraska Medical Association (NMA): Since the campaign launch in June, physicians have been generous in honoring the legacy of Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte as the first Native American physician and in her dedication to the care of indigenous and white people in her community. To date, the NMA has raised $525,000 through gifts from 200 donors.
Sherwood Foundation – Dedicated to promoting equity and inclusion as pathways for creating the good life for all in Nebraska, the Sherwood Foundation invests in organizations and initiatives dedicated to making strategic impact in the communities it serves. The Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte Center is pleased and thankful to have received a $350,000 grant.
USDA – In addition, the USDA provided a $183,562 grant to aid in the initial stages of Phase III restoration, which is focused on the
interior of the Center.
Sunderland Foundation: The Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte Center is pleased to announce that the Center is a recipient of a $50,000 grant from the Sunderland Foundation. The Foundation is focused on supporting construction projects, with special interest in community buildings and museums such as the Dr. Susan Center.
Be Part of the Progress.
More than 100 years ago, her community, her church and individuals helped to fund Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte’s original hospital.
Today, your Giving Season donation, makes you a modern-day supporter in the restoration of her hospital – as a museum, a Native American cultural center and so much more. Please make a donation of any amount.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
Letters from the
La Flesche Sisters
Published monthly for children and youth, the 19th Century periodical, St. Nicholas Magazine, relayed experiences and stories from every sector of America. In its golden age St. Nicholas Magazine attracted prominent authors of the day, including Longfellow, Kipling, Stevenson, Alcott and others. The
La Flesche siblings were no exception, writing letters to one of the magazine’s most popular features, Letter-Box. Although these letters were written in 1877, they did not appear until three years later.
One, written by Susette La Flesche, recounts six-year-old brother Mitchell’s fear of “groups of white men” and adeptness in horseback riding, even traveling alone to a “neighbor’s nearly a mile off, although the road lay over steep bluffs near the Missouri River.” A letter by Rosalie La Flesche describes being taken on a buffalo hunt and their activities while the men were out hunting. “As soon as we girls were off our horses, we would run down to the creek, or off into the woods, and get poles to make ourselves little tents.” Sister Marguerite La Flesche writes about the hunt in her letter too, but as a lament that the activity no longer takes place, “Sometimes I am sorry that the white people ever came to America. What nice times we used to have before we were old enough to go to school, for then father used to take us on the buffalo hunt.” While Susan La Flesche, 12 years old at the time, spoke of her own life as a student at the Omaha Agency, “My father was a chief for fifteen years. My brother Frank once killed a deer right by our house. Senators and Congressmen came to see the Omahas (sic). They all came to our house and sang “Hold the Fort” with us. My oldest sister played backgammon with one of the Congressmen and beat him.”
RESTORATION UPDATE – PHASE III IS UNDERWAY
The third and final phase of the restoration of Dr. Susan’s original hospital into the Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte Center has begun. Phase III will be completed in two parts. The first part, which is currently underway, focuses on the installation of underground utilities and the removal of hazardous materials inside the building, including lead-based paint and asbestos that was typically used during the period. It is expected to be completed by mid-2022.
The second part will be the complete restoration and equipping of the interior, which will be finished by mid-2023.
Donate today to support the interior restoration.
We’re getting so close to realizing the vision of the Susan La Flesche Picotte Center. Help us complete the interior restoration with a tax-deductible donation. Please consider a one-time or monthly donation.
A LEGACY OF HONORING PUBLIC HEALTH PIONEERS
When Siobahn Wescott, M.D. was named the inaugural holder of the Dr. Susan and Susette La Flesche Professorship in Public Health at UNMC, it was not only recognition for a lifetime spent as a staunch advocate for Alaskan Natives and American Indians – especially on issues of health equity and educating the next generation.
It was also a reflection of a shared commitment by the endowment’s benefactor, Carol Swarts, M.D. A radiation oncologist for more than 50 years, Dr. Swartz was the first woman president of St. Luke Hospitals, as well as the first female president of any hospital in the Northern Kentucky/Cincinnati region. She takes an active role in her philanthropy – recognizing and supporting excellence, and making an impact. She was the
2021 inductee into the UNL Department of Biological Systems Engineering Hall of Fame.
In her own words
“I shall always fight good and hard, even if I have to fight alone.”
– Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte
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