A Family Affair

For Lora Gatzke, giving is in her blood—a trait that has been passed down through generations in her family. "My family has always been very involved in volunteering and community work," Lora said.

During the Christmas holiday, her family does not exchange gifts. Instead the family adopts several underprivileged families and provides gifts. When Lora's nieces and nephews were young, she would take them to select gifts to buy and wrap for the families' children. "It's important for children to learn to give back at a young age," Lora said.

Lora experienced volunteering for the first time when helping out at a nursing home as a teenager. At age 18 she called the Children's Miracle Network Telethon and pledged money to Children’s Wisconsin. The next year she was answering phones at the telethon, and she has been an active volunteer for the hospital ever since. Lora has chaired many Children’s Wisconsin fundraising committees, including serving as volunteer coordinator for the Dave and Carole Miracle Marathon since its beginning in 1998. For this event she is responsible for scheduling and confirming 270 volunteers. Lora also has volunteered in the hospital's playrooms, keeping children busy with fun activities.

"Children’s Wisconsin has helped many, many of my friends and coworkers," Lora said. A close friend has two daughters with Moyamoya disease, a neurological condition. Both girls, now teenagers, have had multiple brain surgeries. As a result, neurological pediatric disease is a cause that is close to Lora's heart.

Lora has made a bequest in her will and also designated Children’s Wisconsin to receive assets from her retirement plan. "Several years ago I decided to plan my will and estate because I wanted to have control over where my money went. People always think that you have to be in the later stages of life to begin planning, but that's not true," Lora said.

"I can't imagine Children’s Wisconsin not being in my life. I don't have any kids of my own, so the children at the hospital are my adopted ones," she said. Without a doubt, Lora and her family have made a difference in the lives of thousands of children for many years.