hile we hail from all parts of the world, we come together daily at Parkway Regional Medical Center to achieve a common mission: to provide the best possible health care for our patients. In order to carry out this mission, we must work together as a team. If we know and respect our teammates, then our team will function like a well-oiled machine. Becoming familiar with one another is inevitably achieved, sooner or later, through our daily activities. However, this familiarity is essential enough that it merits an entire day devoted to achieving it. This was the purpose of our Diversity Fair.
The Diversity Fair made it interesting and fun to get to know one another. No one who walked through the doors of the auditorium managed to leave without a smile on his or her face. Many came back for a second or third visit. I would be willing to bet that many took an extended lunch. That day, the auditorium was full to capacity--at times with people, but always with love.
When the Miami Steel Band started playing in the afternoon, a phenomenon tantamount to the casting of a magic spell occured, for few were able to resist being drawn into the center of the auditorium, which was hastily turned into a dance floor. At that point, regardless of your place of origin, your feet and your body seemed able, almost instinctively, to move, or should we say "jam," to the Caribbean beat. Folks in all sorts of capacities--nurses, physical therapists, pharmacy technicians, the Chief Executive Officer--were found dancing together, their cares cast aside for the afternoon.
I recently attempted to describe the afternoon to a co-worker who didn't make it to the Diversity Fair that day. I failed miserably. I believe no account using words would do justice to what we experienced in the auditorium that day. Pictures may do a better job of conveying what happened. If you're one of the unlucky ones who missed the event, you could peruse the following pictures to get a taste of the Fair, bearing in mind that the only way you'll ever experience the full effect is to be sure to attend next year!
Juliet Hamilton, Director of the Department of Education, Sergio Perez from the Center for Mental Health and friends smile for the camera
Simone Bennett from the Pharmacy Department and Carlene Turner from Ambulatory proudly represent Jamaica
Dexter Wooten, Information Services Help Desk Coordinator and Birthday Boy Eddie Carmenate from HR--By the way, he means it
The Dominican Republic
Trinidad and Tobago
