Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com

Published - Saturday, April 05, 2008

Pope John XXIII Award winners named

By JOE ORSO / La Crosse Tribune

Earl Madary, a Viterbo University professor who died at age 42 this winter, and John and Donna Hansen, longtime business leaders, are this year’s recipients of Viterbo Pope John XXIII Awards for Distinguished Service.

Madary, a theologian and musician who was a major influence in the Viterbo community, is the second person to receive the award posthumously in the 34 years the award has been given.

“Earl was able to walk in so many different worlds,” said Pat Kerrigan, vice president of communications and marketing for Viterbo. “He helped people who were disenfranchised. He could work with people who were rich, who were poor.”

The award banquet and ceremony will be at 6:30 p.m. April 30 in Viterbo’s Fine Arts Center.

The Hansens founded the Kwik Trip chain in 1965, and a Viterbo press release for the awards says they have supported the work of pro-life and pro-family causes, Catholic education, Catholic clergy and religious orders, and people with special needs.

Kerrigan said they seek little recognition for themselves.

Past recipients of the award include holocaust survivor and author Elie Wiesel, Joseph Cardinal Bernardin and death penalty opponent Sister Helen Prejean.

“The commonality between the recipients is humility and servant leadership,” Kerrigan said. “What those are all about is bettering the lives of other individuals and doing it in a very selfless way, a non-ego driven way. And that is something that Earl, John and Donna all share.”

Madary accepted the award while he was alive, Kerrigan said, and Marci Madary, his wife, will accept it the night of the ceremony.

For more information about the ceremony and banquet, call Chris Sanger at (608) 796-3070.

Joe Orso can be reached at (608) 791-8429 or jorso@lacrossetribune.com.