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October 22, 2025 5 mins
Jocelyn Dettloff, Major Gifts Director with the Mary Free Bed Foundation joins us to discuss the upcoming 12th Annual Thrive Gala.

More information can be found here: https://www.maryfreebed.com/foundation/thrive-gala/
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Episode Transcript

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Speaker 1 (00:00):
If you live anywhere in West Michigan, Michigan, for that matter,
chances are if you haven't been to Mary free Bed
for Services, you know somebody that is. This is West
Michigan's Morning News. See Kelly Brett, Pikita and Lawrence Smith,
who is the MC of the twelfth annual Thrive Gala
at the Bass Place on Saturday, but in studio Major

(00:20):
Gifts Director with the Mary free Bed Foundation, Jocelyn Detlow. Jocelyn,
thanks for coming in today.

Speaker 2 (00:25):
Good morning. Thank you for having me.

Speaker 1 (00:27):
Though the event itself is officially sold out, we want
to talk a little bit about it and the beneficiary
this year, So talk to us about what folks will
see and hear from so many this weekend.

Speaker 2 (00:40):
Yeah. So we have a reputation for having one of
the funnest galas in town this year. The beneficiary is
our Nursing Scholarship program. We have a relationship with a
number of schools and we are able to provide some
tuition assistance for nurses finishing up and because everybody knows

(01:01):
everybody needs nurses, everybody's clamoring and so whether it's the
rehabs setting or the acute care setting, we are here
to help people finish their degrees and then hopefully come
to work for Mary Free Bed or you know, another
one of our great hospital systems.

Speaker 1 (01:19):
But my gosh, nursing in a place like Mary Free Bed,
everybody is so unique there, right, talk to us a
little bit about how important nurses are to your very
important work.

Speaker 2 (01:30):
You know, everybody has their journey of recovery, and you
know nurses are there at their bedside helping them take
care of their medical needs, but then also just from
like an emotional support. It's a very emotional time. People
are at Mary Free Bed. They didn't expect to be,
whether it's you know, accident, injury, illness, and so nurses

(01:53):
really provide like the excellent, excellent care and then really
just fits into our culture of love and compassion and
person centered care and for the patient.

Speaker 3 (02:03):
It's really fascinating. I got to do a walk through,
especially if some of the new additions coming to Mary
Free Bed and everything is thought of. I remember walking
into grocery store. You've designed inside so that you can
help patients get back to something like grocery shopping after
a critical injury. And the idea comes from nurses having

(02:24):
these conversations with patients and going, Okay, what are you
nervous about going back out and getting back to your
real life. And it's those nurses that are those first
points of communication to help you, guys, do what you
do right.

Speaker 2 (02:36):
Yes, first day, you know, nurses greet the patient and
make them feel welcome and as comfortable as possible, and
calm the nerves. And because people are scared, they don't
know what to expect, and the nurses are just there,
very calming and just like you are, in the absolute
best place you can be.

Speaker 4 (02:57):
All right, I'm going to use my sports side here, Joslin. Yeah,
because to Steve's point, and my dad went there and
had to have some rehabit. I've known other people too.
The nurses at Mary Freebread, I think are like high
school coaches. And what I mean by that is they
develop an unbelievable relationship with their patients, to Smitty's point,
but then they also have to have that hard line.
They have to be tough, right, they have to. When

(03:19):
you don't want to do it anymore, they're going to
be there to tell you got to do it one
more time, you got to do it ten more times.
It's a special person, but that is unique to that
setting and I think is so cool with those nurses.
And you know, whether my dad wanted to do it
or not, he had a great relationship with his nurse
because she was going to make him do it.

Speaker 2 (03:36):
Absolutely. You know, we pushed people as far as they
or maybe even beyond what they thought they could do,
exactly in a very loving and supportive way.

Speaker 3 (03:47):
Yes, what are some of the schools that you guys
partner with with this scholarship program kind of all over
the place to bring nurses back here. And I wanted
to bring up to the importance of nurses staying in
our area and serving places like Mary Free Bed. Where
can people get some more information about everything at the GAYLA.

Speaker 2 (04:05):
We will have it available if you go to They
can always contact us at the Mary Frebid Foundation and
going to our website Maryfrebid dot com. And you know,
we have a number of partnerships mainly throughout West Michigan

(04:27):
and yeah, it's you know, we keep expanding our network
talking to more schools and yeah, because and even getting
into high schools and wow, and those students just because
to give them an idea, oh, what rehab nursing is
it's a little bit different than Q Care nursing.

Speaker 1 (04:48):
We'll get the link in the podcast. Section two. Maryfreebid
dot com Major Gifts Director with the Mary Freebid Foundation,
Jocelyn debtlof, thank you so much for coming in today
and the important work that you provide for our community.

Speaker 3 (05:01):
Thanks.

Speaker 2 (05:01):
Oh, you're so welcome. Thank you
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