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CNN Live At Daybreak

50 Years of Perfect Attendance

Aired June 25, 2001 - 07:57   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LINDA STOUFFER, CNN ANCHOR: Monday morning, the day some folks just don't want to face. And now and then people call in sick.

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: No -- well, not a particular hospital worker in Berkeley, California. She hasn't called in sick in a long, long time, even after she had surgery.

CNN's Rusty Dornin reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Clacking along these quarters since Truman was president, Elena Griffing has worked at Alta Bates hospital for 55 years. She had already worked there two years when this photo was taken in 1948 with Sinatra. But forget that milestone. How about this one: When was the last time she took a sick day?

ELENA GRIFFING, ALTA BATES SUMMIT MED. CTR.: I don't remember the date, but it was January of 1952.

DORNIN: Nearly a half century of perfect attendance.

GRIFFING: I've been very, very blessed with good health. And I just don't want them to know they can get along without me.

DORNIN: Dr. Jerold Kaplan never has to worry about that. Head of the hospital's burn unit, he's been Griffing's boss for more than 20 years.

JEROLD KAPLAN, ALTA BATES SUMMIT MED. CTR.: There was the day that she had her appendix out on a Sunday, and on Monday morning, she was at her typewriter with an I.V. in her arm.

DORNIN: Speaking of typewriters, she had the first electric one in the city of Berkeley around 1949. As far as she's concerned, computers would just slow her down.

High heels are her trademark and even got her in trouble.

(on camera): Alta Bates founded this hospital in 1905. In the late '40s, she told Griffing to quit running around the hallways in her high-heeled shoes. She was afraid she'd fall down and sue the hospital. Tell me how you made out?

GRIFFING: Well, it feels good to walk fast. It keeps the wrinkles out of the bones. And you just -- it just feels good to go. And you get your things done what you have to do and get back to the old desk.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She came in on the weekend, did she?

DORNIN: What about kicking off her heels for good?

GRIFFING: If I start getting a little strange or start forgetting things, just kind of say "Thank you very much" and out the door. But at this point in my life, I can't wait to come to work.

Are these all for me? Oh my.

DORNIN: Truly a labor of love.

Rusty Dornin, CNN, Berkeley, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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