On September 16th, the 1972 graduating class from the Kitchener Waterloo Hospital School of Nursing came together to celebrate their 50th reunion. Organized by Diane, Jane and Marg — three of the women from the class of 1972 — the event took place at the Delta Marriott in Waterloo not only to mark the 50 year anniversary of their graduation but also to celebrate the group’s 50+ years of camaraderie and friendship.
During the time the class of 1972 studied at the Kitchener Waterloo Hospital School of Nursing, the building at Grand River Hospital now known as 40 Green was a residence where nursing students lived while completing their studies. These returning graduates forged strong friendships during their time there, and it was the experiences they shared together in school that have kept them connected to one another for all of these years.
“We were a very close class in training, and we’ve always maintained a communication. We’ve had a reunion every five years since we’ve graduated.” Diane said. “Then there’s some groups of the girls that live [in the same areas], and they get together also. We have a Kitchener-Waterloo group, and there’s a London group and a Sarnia group. So there’s communication going there all the time.”
Diane, Jane and Marg wanted to make their class's 50th reunion particularly special, so they put a lot of time and thought into planning the event and all of the details to make it memorable. They put together little gift bags that included goodies such as personalized class mugs and their class song. They also organized a meet and greet, a social with a cash bar and a delicious dinner catered by one of the best restaurants in Waterloo, all followed by a casual brunch at Solé, another local fine dining restaurant, the next morning.
The three friends also took it upon themselves to host the evening. Marg acted as the MC while Jane gave a talk on ‘Nursing Over Time’ and Diane led a fun activity entitled ‘Finding Your Bliss in the Seventies’ with Marg’s help. The interactive presentation featured a review of what life was like in the 1970s, including fun tidbits like what things cost, fads and popular events.
“We’ll have a good time … [T]he girls are so happy we’re having it. You know, they’re so looking forward to it,” Diane said. “We usually have a lot of laughs. And we’re a young group … We’re young in heart and spirit.”
Even after 50 years, their friendship remains strong. It's inspiring to see the way nursing brought this group of individuals together — not only have they made a difference for so many throughout their careers in health care, but they have also made an incredible difference for each other as well. And what a wonderful way to celebrate that.
