First Bank Ladies Reunion

A woman I worked with over two decades ago is coming into town for her granddaughter's wedding.  I admired this lady when we worked at the bank back in 1980.  She seemed so confident and knew so many people.  Everyone liked Donna.  I really wanted to be like her.  Little did I know, I was and still am like her.  Two women who worked at a poor paying job to support their families and struggling with our day to day challenges.

In honour of her homecoming I have organized a luncheon for the ladies who worked at First Granite City National Bank all those years ago.  It has been quite a job trying to find these ladies.  I was unable to simply sit down with a telephone book or address book and start calling or sending invitations.  I had lost contact with most of the ladies years ago.  I am ashamed to say I couldn't even remember all their names.  You see, when I started working at the bank May 19th 1980 I was the 100th employee.  It was really a big deal for that little home town bank.  Banks do not pay their tellers and clerks well so there is a lot of employee turn over.  One hundred employees and constant turn over made it difficult to remember everyone.  I started my search on face book and was surprised to find a half dozen ladies there.  I invited them and asked them to invite anyone they had worked with who they continue to stay in contact.  I then called a few ladies I still kept in contact with and asked them to do the same.  I was able to find addresses for other ladies so I sent formal invitations. 

I must really like a good challenge because I have had fun searching for long lost friends.  Also I have learned something from this endeavor; people who work with one another for years have bonded.  None of these women work for the bank any longer and most haven't for years, yet they still feel a close connection to one another.  Some of the older ladies have physical handicaps that keep them home bound.  I simply mentioned this in passing and ladies are volunteering to pick them up.  I have more volunteers than I have ladies who need assistance.  This has been an awesome experience.  At the luncheon I plan to get every one's home addresses, e-mail addresses and phone numbers.  I will then save this information for future use.  I would like to keep in contact with all these dear women and perhaps start a phone tree so that when ever any of the ladies are sick or need assistance, the word will be put out there for all who want to assist.  Yes, I know I am a dreamer but good things come from dreams.  In a time when there is so much bad and people are yelling for Jesus to come take the Christians cause it is time for the world to end, I find it refreshing to see so many good wonderful people and to be able to call them friends.