Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals

Longtime Madonna donor and volunteer leaves lasting legacy

April 21, 2023

Madonna volunteer Kris Peterson was a familiar face on the Lincoln Campus. Rain or shine, Kris could be seen weekly accompanying Madonna residents to doctor’s appointments, assisting with recreational outings and activities, and volunteering in the Madonna Foundation office. Her 12 years of volunteer service came to an end with her untimely death on March 23, 2023.

Volunteering at Madonna ran in her family. Kris’ mom, Mary Zender, was a dedicated welcome desk volunteer for many years. When Kris’ father, Bob, was a patient and resident at Madonna, Kris discovered many ways she could get involved as well. For her efforts, Kris received the “2022 Senior Volunteer Step Forward Award” in partnership with Serve Nebraska and the governor’s office. The Step Forward Award is the most prestigious award given for volunteerism in the state of Nebraska.

However, time isn’t the only thing Kris gave to Madonna. She continually found new ways to invest in Madonna's mission through generous gifts that impact patients, residents and staff.

Kris and her late, husband, Don, helped fund the Zender Meditation Garden in memory of her parents. Located near the Madonna chapel, the garden is a welcome respite for patients and employees alike.

While accompanying residents on one of Madonna’s wheelchair accessible vans, Kris noticed that staff members would continually struggle with the old, high mileage van. The amount of wheelchair positions in the van also limited the number of residents who could participate in outings.

“Kris came to me with the idea to donate a new van that could accommodate more residents,” said Suzanne Sughroue, director of Development, Madonna Foundation. “I was completely overwhelmed by her generosity.”

One vehicle Kris used for her charitable giving was her IRA. “I feel very blessed that I do not need an IRA distribution to live on so I am able to donate it to Madonna,” Kris explained. She said she enjoys seeing her funds at work when she volunteers. Additionally, Kris has made significant gifts in support of the recent Lincoln Campus expansion project, new research technology on Madonna's Omaha Campus, and helped kick-start a special staff recognition fund.

Kris also named Madonna in her estate as the beneficiary of her IRA. "Kris' generosity honors her family's deep connection to Madonna while impacting the children and adults we serve into perpetuity,” Suzanne said. “Kris was our dear friend. We miss her and will always be grateful to her for her generous gifts of time, talent and treasure.” The Madonna volunteer office on the Lincoln Campus was named in her honor.

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