The Grey Sisters have always played an integral part in the operations of the General Hospital since its creation. Sister Rita Kennedy devoted 30 years of her life to the cause of nursing and nursing education in Sault Ste. Marie.
During her time in Sault Ste. Marie, which amounted to 30 years, she was the Director of Nursing at the General Hospital, director of St. Mary’s School of Nursing of Algoma Regional School of Nursing. She also served as a member of the hospital Board of Directors, the Ontario Colleges of Nurses and as a past president of the Catholic Hospital Conference of Ontario.
Sister Kennedy did comment on this change stating, “A graduate from a two-year program requires additional clinical experience before she is able to take on the demanding role of a registered nurse then in a three-year program”. In 1974 Sister Rita Kennedy was elected to the Central Executive of the Religious Community as the coordinator of ministries within the community. She returned to Pembroke Ontario to coordinate services between the Grey Sisters and their services which included hospitals, senior homes, high schools and missions.