Separated by COVID-19, united by humanity

International artists donate $2,000 to Gundersen Medical Foundation supporting 'sister city' during global pandemic

Gundersen Medical Foundation would like to extend their sincere gratitude and thanks to Mr. Wang Jianjun and the artists of the Sichuan Xinrui Oil Painting Academy for their generous donation of $2,000 in support of COVID-19 efforts at Gundersen Health System.

The group of artists is connected to the La Crosse area through friends Marc Barger and Rosie Liang Ping. Rosie, a Chinese national from Chengdu, China, is secretary general for the Sichuan Xinrui Oil Painting Academy and a lifelong artist as well.

With coordination from Marc, Rosie and La Crosse's Pump House, the group of artists was able to visit and be featured in "Walking Together: An Invitational Exhibition of Contemporary Oil Painting Masters" last September. They took an immediate liking to the area.

"They were very impressed and loved the people. Everyone was so friendly to them," Marc shares. "So they feel La Crosse is like a sister city to Chengdu, and they wished to contribute in some way to the area. When the virus hit America hard, they decided to help how they could with having had so much experience with it in China." 

A big thank you goes out to all the artists – Wang Jianjun, Zhong Gang, Rong Zhibin, Rosie Liang Ping, Miao Wang, Wu Yixiao, Guo Qiang, Luo Song and Deng Zihui—for their kindness and generosity during this time of global crisis. 

Those interested in making a monetary donation toward COVID-19 support at Gundersen Medical Foundation can do so at gundersenhealth.org/COVID-support.