The Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative was formed in February of 2024 to respond to the urgent need for health services in the region that were lost when St. Joseph's and Sacred Heart Hospital suddenly closed. Since then, community leaders and area residents have been working tirelessly to fill the void. The vision for an independent, non-profit, community-directed hospital is becoming a reality through a combination of government dollars, grants, and philanthropy, including the new Dave Fish Bridge to Care Fund.

David Fish, longtime president and CEO of HSHS St. Joseph's Hospital, was a central figure in advancing quality, progressive healthcare services in the community and championing related services offered by regional agencies and programs that contribute to quality of life in the Chippewa Valley. He was also instrumental in the creation of the Community Foundation of Chippewa County. Fish passed away in 2020 at the age of 75.

Many local leaders advocated for keeping funds raised by the long-established Foundation of HSHS St. Joseph's Hospital in the community following the closures. Along with those leaders, the Community Foundation Board of Directors worked to execute the transfer of funds and ensure donor intentions were met and the charitable stewardship of those transferred endowments would continue.

Several of those funds had been established by the families of Lori Geissler and Patti Darley, who serve on the board of organizers for the Chippewa Valley Health Cooperative. Both are grateful for the opportunity to apply those gifts to the restoration of affordable access to healthcare services in the region in the name of the man who inspired it.

"I'm not sure many people know about the impact Dave Fish had on this community," said Lori Geissler, a fifth-generation member of the Mason family business. "They feel it, but they may not understand where it came from because Dave was a quiet leader and visionary. He loved this town."

Jerry Jacobson, president and CEO of Northwestern Bank, was among those helping to keep HSHS donor funds local and has similar sentiments about naming the fund in Fish's memory. "Dave was a friend to many and a servant leader to all," Jacobson said. "Our community is better for his generous heart."

Darley hopes Fish's legacy demonstrates how important personal commitment to locally managed healthcare will be moving forward. She and Geissler appreciate the active discussions taking place as plans for a modern, full-service hospital progress, and encourage residents to consider active participation through a lifetime membership in the cooperative or donations to the new endowment.