As we go through our different walks of life, it can be difficult to keep strong relationships intact with close friends and colleagues. That’s a big part in why Methodist Hospitals has been hosting reunion events to bring together many of their retired nurses.
The latest reunion event took place on Friday, June 7. Beth Kristoff, RN, was the primary organizer for this event. While this isn’t the first reunion event that has been put together, she has seen how effective it has been for the Methodist Hospitals' family.
“Methodist Hospitals is a second family for us,” Kristoff said. “The camaraderie that we experience with one another is irreplaceable. We did the first reunion event in 2016 as well as last year. We had so much fun together.”
Kristoff feels there’s a strong need to put together not only events like the reunion but various celebrations and programs that have a special meaning for all the attendees.
“We’ve worked together for many weekends and holidays, and it’s created a special bond for us,” Kristoff said. “Bringing everybody together and giving them something to smile about is the biggest thing for me.”
Ann Manley, retired nurse manager with Methodist Hospitals, is one of the biggest reasons why Kristoff felt motivated to bring this reunion event back for another year.
“I have a lot of friends here in attendance,” Manley said. “It’s very important for us to all come together for a reunion like this. I went to the last one and I enjoyed it so much.”
Manley, who is 98 years old, cherishes these moments to regroup with familiar faces. She hopes to continue coming to these events annually at least until she turns 100.
“There’s nothing that I look forward to more than seeing so many of my friends again from here,” Manley said. “This is always a great event for Methodist Hospitals and I’m very proud to be a part of it.”
One person that Manley has a deep appreciation for is Barb Markle, who was by her side for this event. Markle, a former admin assistant of nursing administration at Methodist Hospitals, shares how her time working around this group of people contains some of her greatest memories.
“Working at Methodist Hospitals were some of the most formative years of my life,” Markle said. “People like Ann, my nursing supervisor and boss really saved my life. We grew up here. It was the best experience ever and there’s a lot of people here that will tell you the same thing.”
“I would like to continue being able to keep our friendships strong that we’ve had over the years,” Kristoff said. “This is a special group of people. They’ve all done so much for me and Methodist Hospitals that it’s important to give back to them when we can.”
For more information on Methodist Hospitals, you can visit their website.
