Photo: St. Croix Valley Foundation
Some of David Palmer’s earliest lessons in giving came from odd teachers: venison steaks and chicken–the payment his father received for the medical care he provided when his patients in northern Minnesota could not afford it.
“I learned concepts of philanthropy and giving and stewardship from my mom and dad,” says Palmer, who along with his wife, Marilyn, has further instilled a love of giving in his children and grandchildren. Those early concepts in philanthropy certainly stuck.
The committed Rotarian and former St. Croix Valley Foundation (SCVF) board member became an orthopedic surgeon, serving patients up and down the St. Croix Valley in Minnesota and Wisconsin. He then took that expertise abroad, volunteering on medical missions in Afghanistan, Bhutan and Tanzania. He is also a generous SCVF donor, including co-founding the endowed Palmer-Rathert Medical Scholarship Fund, providing generations of students with a financial boost through medical school.
“I think philanthropy is largely an osmosis kind of thing from your family, mentors or teachers,” Palmer says. “It’s also a learned experience, and, once you start doing it, you want to do more to your ability. I think the world would be a lot better off if we were all of that mind.”
Alauna Yust is the marketing communications manager at St. Croix Valley Foundation. To learn about more ways to give where you live, visit scvfoundation.org.
