Sign up for the paNOW newsletter

Holy Family Hospital celebrates 100 years

Jul 15, 2012 | 8:42 AM

The Prince Albert Exhibition Centre was filled with hugs and excitement Saturday.

Approximately 349 past employees and nursing graduates from Prince Albert’s Holy Family Hospital came from across North America to celebrate its 100th anniversary.

Sadly, it’s been 15 years since Holy Family Hospital was closed and approximately four years since it was demolished, but Saturday’s event proved the facility held a lot of history and important memories for its past staff and students.

Olivette Chalifour who graduated and spent the majority of her nursing career at Holy Family Hospital said she was anxious for this day to come.

“As time went on I was very, very excited about it,” she said.

Chalifour who also helped organize the anniversary said she spent days and days phoning people and telling them all about the celebration.

Chalifour graduated from Holy Family Hospital School of Nursing in 1957 and stayed there until it closed.

“I was there because I was in charge of emergency until the day we closed down and then I closed my doors at 4 o’clock and then I started to cry,” she said.

Chalifour retired from nursing shortly afterwards.

“I really, really enjoyed my nursing my heart is there,” she said

“I have many, many memories and all the girls that were students and now they are married every one is a little bit older,” she added.

Ellen Krips who graduated from the Holy Family School of nursing in 1962 didn’t stay in Prince Albert afterwards, but said she will always remember the years she spent there.

“They gave I felt, a very good education. I felt I learnt more in small hospitals and you covered everything and I had a good foundation,” she said.

Upon her arrival to Prince Albert for this weekend’s celebration Krip said she visited the old Family Hospital site where it once stood.

She said it left a little bit of an empty spot in her heart since now all that lies where the hospital used to be is an empty lot.

srolles@panow.com