Adventist Health employees embrace their mission — living God’s love by inspiring health, wholeness and hope — by striving to serve and improve the communities in which they live through their work as well as during their personal time.
Chris Kruebbe, a licensed clinical social worker and certified alcohol and drug counselor who works at Adventist Health clinics in Manzanita and Tillamook on the north Oregon coast, is one of those employees who takes seriously his commitment to his community. Kruebbe recently stepped up his commitment to community service to run for mayor of Bay City, Ore., the small town in which he lives.
Kruebbe will continue working for Adventist Health, as his new role as mayor is a part-time volunteer position. Serving as mayor is just the latest in a long list of his volunteer activities. Kruebbe is a Bay City Fire Department volunteer firefighter and Nehalem Bay Fire and Rescue District Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) member.
This passion for public service and public safety is partly an outgrowth of Kruebbe’s own trauma. A New Orleans native, Kruebbe was there when Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005. He became part of the diaspora of about 250,000 people who had to leave New Orleans after Katrina destroyed much of the city.
Kruebbe arrived in Oregon in 2007 and began the work of building a new life and career. He uses his own trauma to shape his work and to help other survivors of trauma. He brings empathy to his patients and builds bridges based on understanding.
In addition to helping people individually through his work at Adventist Health, Kruebbe has devoted himself to contributing to the safety and preparedness of his community. In his new role as mayor he continues to support the Bay City Fire Department. He would also like to see a local CERT team assembled in Bay City and reinstate a neighborhood watch program.
“I believe in community service,” Kruebbe says. “I believe very strongly in becoming involved, to be involved for the people. As Bay City mayor I look forward to helping our community be safe, prepared and a great place to live.”
Through his work and his volunteer efforts, Kruebbe is truly living God’s love and reshaping the health, wholeness and hope of his entire community. This is one more way the associates of Adventist Health demonstrates how love matters in their own backyard.
Chris Kruebbe
