Gratitude As I write this article, I have just completed my first year serving as Cedar Community’s CEO. As I reflect on the past 12 months, the emotion I feel most is gratitude. I am thankful for many things that I have experienced so far on this journey. When I stepped into this role, I received a much-appreciated letter from someone that many of you know— Steve Jaberg—Cedar Community’s second CEO (I’m only the fourth in our nearly 70-year history!). Steve began with kind words of congratulations, and then he shared some sage advice with me: “There will always be more to do. You are in a marathon, not a sprint.” I am so grateful for Steve’s words of wisdom. Yet that is only the beginning. I have unending gratitude for the Cedar Community team members across all of our campuses and within all our programs. They have faced personal and professional challenges over this past year (and throughout the pandemic) and they have done so with pride, compassion, resilience, and even humor! They bring joy to our residents and to each other—and that keeps everyone smiling. I am deeply thankful for the residents and families of Cedar Community. They have persevered through the many hardships brought on by the pandemic and have given their grace to me—and to all our team members—this past year. We have had to continue to make changes, postponements, and endure some inconceivable situations. And now, we face the challenges of workforce shortages, supply chain issues, and the fatigue of the past two years. We have had a LOT on our plates these past 12 months, and we have made tremendous progress. But we have so much more to do! I’m not always the most patient person in the world (just ask my kids), but I do know that to make smart progress, you have to be thoughtful, transparent, and communicate—a lot—with everyone involved. Yes—it is a marathon and I will work hard to be patient. Our team will stay focused on our mission. We will live within our budget. And we will meet the needs of our residents and team members. I can’t wait to see what the next year brings—but I do know that I’ll probably need a new pair of running shoes!
cedarcommunity.org
SUMMER 2022 |
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