Dr. Gregory Bergner of South Lake Tahoe awarded Carthage Alumni Beacon Award

Carthage alumnus Dr. Gregory Bergner ‘71 was granted the 2014 Carthage Beacon Award on Saturday, May 3, 2014.

For centuries, beacons have served as a source of guidance and light to individuals all over the world. To celebrate this spirit of leadership, the Carthage Alumni Council grants the Beacon Award to recognize alumni who provide a light to their communities through a specific accomplishment, act of service, professional or personal achievement, event or program.

Berner was granted the 2011 Spirit of Philanthropy Award from Barton Hospital Foundation for “extraordinary dedication to the health of South Lake Tahoe community at large and to the work of Barton Memorial Hospital.”

As funding cutbacks reduced the availability of Medi-Cal assistance in the late 1980’s, Dr. Bergner’s team became the sole primary care physicians in South Lake Tahoe accepting Medi-Cal patients. Realizing the community’s need for assistance, Gregory and others started the El Dorado Community Clinic in 1989. Solely operated by Bergner's practice (and suffering increasing losses), the clinic continued to 1995.

Dr. Bergner has continued to be a light to the community for the past three decades, carrying on his service as a physician and teaching science for Bijou Community School’s after-school program.

Gregory was among six Carthage alumni receiving the Carthage Beacon Award in May 2014.

Established in 1847, Carthage is a college of the liberal arts and sciences. Situated on the Lake Michigan shore, midway between Chicago and Milwaukee, the College enrolls 2,500 undergraduate students.