By Torrie Hardcastle
Nearly 100 retirees came together to reminisce and reunite at San Jac’s recent Retiree Luncheon, held every spring. The College hosts the event annually to keep in touch with retirees, many of whom spent decades with the College, and to provide retirees with an opportunity to continue to engage with the College.
“It’s so important for our retirees to still feel connected with the College,” said Vickie Del Bello, Vice President of Human Resources. “This event is a fun way for the retirees to gather and catch up with each other while also catching up on the latest College news.”
In addition to the catered lunch and plenty of reconnecting, the attendees also enjoyed remarks from College Chancellor Dr. Brenda Hellyer, watched a new San Jacinto College video, and grabbed photos to take home as mementos.
Retiree Ginger Lambert, former director of safety, health, environment, and risk management, says she will always have a special place in her heart for the College and her fellow retirees.
“I worked at San Jac for 37 years, starting when I was 18 years old,” she said. “So essentially I grew up with the institution and the people who made it great. With so many years invested in one place, a deep sense of ownership and pride develops, and this luncheon provides a rare opportunity to reconnect with those folks who shared a large part of my life.”
Susan Titus, a former administrative assistant in business and technology, recently retired after 17 years at the College and echoed Lambert’s sentiments as the group’s newest member.
“After working at San Jac for so long, the employees become family and family that I plan on staying in touch with,” she said. “This was my first luncheon to attend since retiring in May, and Dr. Hellyer made us feel appreciated and feel like we all contributed in some part to the success of the College. I’m definitely looking forward to the next retiree luncheon.”