Times business columnist Robert Trigaux, writing about the annual rankings, said BayCare was the largest employer among this year's 100 top workplaces - four times the size of the next
largest top workplace. "That's no simple feat. The larger the organization, the tougher it can be to sustain a quality workplace," Trigaux wrote, but added that "helping people who are sick to get better, or to face their final days in some comfort, is a powerful motivation for workers seeking
job satisfaction."
   Kyle Barr, BayCare's Chief Team Resources Officer, announced both awards to team members in an email. "Knowing that your feedback earned us both Top Workplace recognitions is
very gratifying and reinforces our belief that working together can make us even
stronger," she wrote. "No matter where you work in the health system, we all play a role
in our success."

   On Wednesday, May 25, 2016, Dr. Monika Treber and Ute Wannig, German founders of the Christian Initiative International Learning (CIL), will speak about the German experiences during the recent Syrian refugee crisis. 

   The program will be held in the Church of St. Francis of Assisi's San Damiano Hall, 127 W. 31 Street, New York City. Light refreshments will be served from 6 to 7 p.m., at which time the program will begin. 

   For more information or to RSVP, call 212-426-5818.

 

   Greetings from Kingston, Jamaica! This week, I am at Immaculate Conception Convent, checking on the small archives that the sisters have in Jamaica. Today I found some extremely interesting artifacts that speak to the fascinating history of the convent building itself.

    Immaculate Conception Convent began its existence as the Constant Spring Hotel. Built in 1888, the hotel was the first building in Jamaica to be lit by electricity. It also boasted a beautiful sunken garden, a golf course, and a spa.

    Despite the hope that its luxurious accommodations would attract tourists, resources in the Immaculate Conception archives indicate that the hotel was never profitable. In 1940, the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany bought the hotel and all of its contents, transforming the property into Immaculate Conception Convent and High School.

     Pictured here is an example of one of many items one can find in the convent that still bears the name of Constant Spring Hotel: an embroidered wool blanket. Other items that can be found in the convent bearing the hotel's brand include: silverware, plates, glassware, and even the wrought iron railings on the balconies. Next to the blanket is a photo from about the late 1800s depicting horse drawn carriages arriving at the hotel.