Mayo Clinic Celebrates Heritage Days, Oct. 4-8, 2010

Friday, October 01, 2010

ROCHESTER, Minn. — This year marks the 100th anniversary of Dr. William J. Mayo's profound statement, "The best interest of the patient is the only interest to be considered." This statement has become the guiding value for Mayo Clinic, as important today as it was a century ago. Heritage Days 2010 honors this event with the theme "Words We Live By." Residents of the Rochester community are encouraged to attend the numerous events happening during Heritage Days, Oct. 4-8.

Dedication of The Saint John's Bible — Monday

A dedication ceremony for a volume of the Heritage Edition of The Saint John's Bible will be held on Oct. 4, at 1:30 p.m., in the Francis Tower Lobby of Saint Marys Hospital. The Saint John's Bible is the first handwritten and hand-illuminated Bible to be commissioned by a Benedictine monastery since Johannes Gutenberg invented movable type more than 500 years ago. Benefactors Stephen and Barbara Slaggie graciously donated the seven-volume Heritage Edition, which is an exact reproduction of The Saint John's Bible, to Mayo Clinic.

Classic Cars on Display — Monday-Thursday

Annenberg Plaza will feature two vintage automobiles that are part of Mayo's history: Chrysler Imperial automobiles (1957 and 1964) owned by Dr. Charles W. (Chuck) and Alice Mayo. Dr. Chuck's 1957 Chrysler convertible has been restored by a private collector to showroom quality and includes many special features such as a built-in phonograph. The 1964 Chrysler sedan, which is in its original condition, is frequently displayed at Mayowood and is owned by the History Center of Olmsted County. The vehicles will be on display Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m., weather permitting.

Entertainment and Anniversary Displays — Monday-Friday

At several locations on the Rochester campus, midday musical concerts and dance performances are planned Monday through Friday, from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Commemorative displays featuring significant anniversaries highlighting Mayo's history can be viewed in Mathews Grand Lobby in the Mayo Building.

Films about Mayo Clinic's History — Tuesday-Thursday

This year, Heritage Days presents two original films. Both films will be shown starting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 5; Wednesday, Oct. 6; and Thursday, Oct. 7 in Geffen Auditorium in the subway level of the Gonda Building.

• "In the Words of Dr. Will: The Primary Value of Mayo Clinic" (20 minutes)
• In 1910, Dr. William J. Mayo was invited to deliver the commencement address at Rush Medical College in Chicago. Dr. Will's words from his speech are the basis of the primary value of Mayo Clinic today: "The needs of the patient come first." This film, commissioned to honor the 100th anniversary of that milestone occasion, is a work of fiction based on historical research. It imagines how Dr. Will formulated the thoughts he expressed in his famous speech. This film is sponsored by the Mayo Clinic Program in Professionalism and Ethics with generous support from Whitney and Betty MacMillan and Gerald and Henrietta Rauenhorst.
• "Healing Hands: The Sisters of St. Francis and Mayo Clinic" (40 minutes)
• This film tells the story of Saint Marys Hospital and the Franciscan heritage of Mayo Clinic. It includes interviews with Sisters and their Mayo Clinic colleagues as well as historic photos and films, some of which are presented in public for the first time. On-location filming includes Italy and Luxembourg, tracing the history of the Rochester Franciscans, and Bogotá, Colombia, where the Sisters have a ministry today. This film is made possible with generous support from Gerald and Henrietta Rauenhorst.

Ice Cream Social — Thursday

An Ice Cream Social will be held Thursday, Oct. 7, 2 to 4 p.m., at the following locations:

• Downtown: Outdoors in Annenberg Plaza (between the Mayo and Plummer buildings) and indoors in the Patient/Visitor Cafeteria in Rochester Methodist Hospital.
• Saint Marys Hospital: Outdoors in the Edith Graham Mayo Courtyard and indoors in the Visitor Cafeteria.

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