September 2012 Volume 127 • Number 9

Ross puts on the fez
for kids
As a member of the Austin Shrine Club, Ross
Mickelsen helps children with serious medical
problems receive treatment at the Shriners
Hospital in Minneapolis.
He's been with the club for 37 years, joining
about two years after he and his wife,
Jan, moved to Austin from
Northfield. Jan also is involved in
many of the Shriners'
philanthropic activities.
Ross is one of two Austin
Shrine members to drive children
and their family members to the
Minneapolis hospital. He makes
one to four trips a month as
needed.
The hospital focuses on
orthopedic and
neuromusculoskeletal problems,
and all Shriners hospitals treat
patients for free. In 2010, they
began seeking reimbursement
from insurance companies, but the
Shriners continue to pay for any care
“There’s such a feeling of pride...” Ross said of how
he feels about helping transport these kids get to
Shriners Hospital
not covered by insurers.
Ross and Jan told me about one little
girl they got
to know by
Ross taking
her to the
Shrine
hospital for
several
appointments.
When
the girl was 2
years old, she
lost a hand
in a horrific
accident.
Since then,
she's been
fitted with
two or three
different
prosthetic
hands, and
Ross has taken
her for those
fittings.
"He has a photo of himself with this
little girl ... the first hand she got, up at
the Shrine hospital, they took a picture
of her and she put the hand out and
hung on to Ross’ hand with it," Jan
said.
"It's just ... it's almost indescribable,"
Ross said of how he felt. "Your heart
goes into your chest and there's such a
feeling of pride."
The couple also talked about a young
man Ross has taken to the Shriners
hospital for physical therapy in a pool.
The young man, now a recent high
school graduate, doesn't have use of his
legs.
"With that particular patient, I go at
least twice a year, sometimes as much as
four times. And we also furnish him
with all of his chairs," Ross said.
He talked about the hospital, saying
he’s been amazed by the children there,
who at such young ages, deal with pain
and disabilities. "And they all have such
wonderful attitudes," he said.
Ross also participates in all of the
parades the Austin Shriners walk in —
this summer, they have 23. The money
they collect at the parades goes to the
children's hospital and local charities.
Often during the parades, Ross said
he'll hear a yell from the crowd —
something like, "'Thank you! My
grandson went through your hospital!'
And, it's just great. It gives you the
shivers when somebody hollers that at
you," he said.
Edie Grossfield writes Volunteers in
Action. email
egrossfield@postbulletin.com.
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