Early Thursday morning, a few dozen Mayo Clinic staff gathered at the Sister Lauren Weinandt Gazebo on the Mayo Clinic Hospital — Rochester, Saint Marys Campus to celebrate the reopening of Peace Garden Drive, located on the south side of its campus. The event marked a significant milestone in the ongoing construction efforts aimed at enhancing the campus experience for staff and patients.

The morning began with remarks from Dr. Dan Brown, chair of the Rochester Hospital Practice Subcommittee, who reflected on the perseverance of Mayo Clinic staff throughout the disruption caused by construction. "This critical artery into the Saint Marys Campus has been part of our history for many years, and will continue to serve us into the future," Dr. Brown says. He also highlights the progress toward the completion of a new 1,000-stall staff parking ramp, which is located across the road from the gazebo and is set to open in a year.

Watch: Peace Garden Drive reopening ceremony

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video b-roll and sound bites are available in the downloads at the end of the post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network."

Name super/CG: Dr. Dan Brown/Chair, Rochester Hospital Practice Subcommittee/Mayo Clinic
Name super/CG: Sister Cashel/Sisters of Saint Francis
Name super/CG: Kelly Fjerstad/Vice Chair of Nursing/Mayo Clinic

Sister Cashel, one of the Sisters of Saint Francis who lives in the convent at Saint Marys, offered a peace blessing that resonated with attendees. She emphasized unity as well as gratitude for the “many hands and hearts” that contributed to the construction efforts. “Peace is true, peace is noble, peace is pure, peace is admirable,” she says, drawing from scripture to bless the road and those who helped bring the project to life.

The event concluded with a ceremonial tree planting in honor of Mayo Clinic staff, a moment that symbolized growth, resilience and reflection. Lindsey Lehman, associate administrator for hospital operations, spoke about the legacy of Sister Lauren, whose gazebo represents a space of respite and renewal for staff. Quoting part of Sister Lauren’s final letter to Mayo Clinic staff, Lehman shares, “Thank you for all of your faithful service. You are No. 1 in my book, and we will continue to be No. 1 in the world.”

Kelly Fjerstad, vice chair of nursing, underscored the Mayo Clinic values embodied by the staff present by adding, “It takes everybody — and please know it’s not just for what they do, but truly who they are as people.”

Staff who attend or visit the gazebo throughout the day were invited to take a wildflower seed packet as a token of gratitude for their patience and for reflecting Mayo values during construction. The tree planted today will soon be accompanied by a permanent marker to honor Mayo Clinic staff.

View more images from the ceremony

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