Peter Shokeir | [email protected]
Former Jasper Park Lodge staff came together to celebrate the 100th anniversary of staff working at the resort during a reunion last weekend.
Cheryl Johnston, president of the Jasper Park Lodge (JPL) Staff Alumni Association, said the reunion lived up to all her expectations.
鈥淚 think it was one of the best reunions we had, because there were over 200 people on Saturday night, and that was far more than we had expected, because a lot of people from town did come,鈥� Johnston said.
鈥淲e had a lot of people come, and we had a lot of younger people come this time too, like from the 鈥�80s and the 鈥�90s, and that鈥檚 good because they are the ones who are going to be the future.鈥�
The reunion featured a Friday dinner that had 120 people attend, followed by a meet and greet, and 70 people attended the breakfast on Saturday morning.
It also included tours of the JPL property, a memorabilia room containing articles and old photos from the 鈥�40s onward, and some people going to the AthaB or Whistle Stop Pub.
Lydia Stanko, who lives in Jasper, is the oldest alumni and was the guest of honour for the Saturday dinner and one of five people in their 90s to attend.
鈥淪he鈥檚 just a lovely lady,鈥� Johnston said.
鈥淚t was really great to have her, because she鈥檚 very active. She was just delighted to be there. She was even up dancing, 96 years old.鈥�
Johnston noted how the younger generations could see from their elders how working at JPL can create lasting bonds.
鈥淭here is a great sense of camaraderie and friendship, and people make these enduring friendships, and they last throughout their lifetimes,鈥� she said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a very unique experience to work at Jasper Park Lodge, because we鈥檙e a little bit more isolated than the Banff Springs, but yet we鈥檙e all like a family together.鈥�
The association is looking at hosting a reunion two years from now for the mid-century staff and a more general reunion five years from now.
