A Legacy Worthy to be Followed

Recently, I have had the pleasure of conducting a few exit interviews with some amazing team members who made the decision to grow outside of Century Park. These conversations led me to a place of reflection around the meaning of work and what should be regarded as "defining values" and "non-negotiables" for our company culture.

Personally, I believe that God uses the vehicle of meaningful work to impact the lives of others.

On Jan. 9, 2011, Cleveland, Tennessee experienced seven inches of snow. If you know our little southern town, you will understand that everything shuts down for one inch of snow, so when we had seven inches, you can only imagine the pandemonium that ensued.

I was the executive director of Garden Plaza at Cleveland at the time, and my worst fear was not having enough staff to serve our residents who were now dependent on a generator for heat. My husband helped me shovel snow from our long, winding driveway, and I bundled up and drove door to door, picking up our courageous associates. Some members of our team walked more than four miles to reach a safe place where they could be picked up. Others were like Kala, who walked all the way to the community from her home with a change of clothing and blankets in hand.

As we piled into my black Toyota Sequoia, I beamed with admiration as I looked at the frozen smiling faces sitting behind me. They were laughing and making jokes about my driving skills the entire drive to our community. That went on for 24 hours, all through the night, as I dropped off the evening servers and picked up our night shift crew. It was the sound of those giggles and laughter that kept my whole body warm. Never once did I hear a complaint from our team.

Incredible heroes like these can be seen in every community throughout our country. They are the housekeepers who are busy cleaning our communities with very little time to clean their own homes. They are the dependable caregivers who have worked a full shift but see the need of our residents on the next shift and say, "It's OK, I will stay."

They are the nurses who get done with their shifts and stay on just a little longer to hold the hand of a dying resident. They are the maintenance team who unclogs the same commode for the 16th time and still smile calmly and say, "Let's use a different toilet paper next time."

They are our cooks, who could choose to work at a restaurant, where they might make more money and cook for new customers who seldom complain, but instead choose to cook for "our family" because family is all that matters to them. They are the servers who get tired of being told, "This younger generation doesn't get it," but still smile and serve because they believe in service to others.

They are concierge and business office team members who answer the call smiling and who can calm each storm that blows through our doors. They are the lifestyle team members who create an intentional and purposeful life for our residents each day. They are our transportation team who juggle appointments skillfully, ensuring our residents get to their destinations safely.

They are sales directors who don't just see a sale but see the value and purpose in providing safe housing for a senior and a priceless solution for families. They are our resident care directors who answer calls day and night, knowing that each call might be changing — and frequently saving — a life. And they are the executive directors, who serve multiple roles as drivers, concierge, caregivers, housekeepers and leaders.

We are all very aware that our work at Century Park is never about money, promotion, position or even appreciation. But when we see our work here through the lens of how we are being used to impact the lives of others, we understand that the work we do is about legacy — the legacy we are building and the stories those who love us most will tell.

Century Park is a company filled with imperfectly perfect people who understand why we are called for such a time as this to serve. And though we do get weary, when we are in the midst of an unwavering storm and questioning why we do what we do, we never doubt our calling: to build a legacy worthy to be followed.