Security Concerns at the Welcome Center and in our Village

From time to time, we all need reminders about the values we uphold at Covenant Village and why they are important. 

Safety and Security are essential components of our CV CARES core values. Together, they are promises we make as an community and to one another to 

“protect the wellbeing of all our members in all facets of life: physical, emotional, financial, intellectual, environmental, social, and a personal sense of purpose.” 

Leaving work late one evening last week, I witnessed what is becoming a surprising, scary, and unnecessary trend that has significant security concerns! 

More and more Residents, Family members, Guests, and Staff are refusing to stop—much less slow down—at the Welcome Center. 

Together, we can stop this unwelcomed trend and avoid new measures being put in place. 

Covenant Village is one of the few Life Plan Communities across our State to continue an investment in a 24/7, well-staffed, and welcoming front gate. We have chosen to do this for several important reasons: 

First, our Welcome Center Security Officers serve as a first line of protection for everyone. There are enough reports from other communities with open entrances where a Resident has driven back to campus only to be followed by someone suspicious who has devious intent. Similarly, consider how many unwanted and unsolicited “sales” calls could come your way if we had an open and accessible campus. 

Secondly, a well-staffed front gate provides a convenience to our members and the broader community of family, guests, business professionals, vendors, and deliveries. Thanks to the pandemic, we all have adopted the convenience of delivery services for food and supplies (DoorDash; Uber Eats; Amazon; etc.). Our Welcome Center ensures efficiency and accuracy in helping to navigate guests and deliveries to their rightful destination. 

Third, it is intentional that we call the front gate our “Welcome Center.” Lifting up our core value of Respect, we are “committed to sustaining a community where people feel welcomed and valued as children of God.” Our Security Professionals demonstrate this hundreds of times, every day, with every greeting — and they do so with a cheerful and genuine reception, every time. 

A noncompliant response to the Stop Sign is one issue. Neglectfully driving through the Welcome Center entrance without fully stopping is simply disrespectful and places our Security Professionals in harm’s way. 

What can you do? 

Ways that you can help are simple: 

1. Slow down. And Stop. Wait for a simple acknowledgement from the Security Staff. (You can wave back if you choose.) Then proceed to your destination. If you are not acknowledged, you wait until you are. 

2. If you are expecting guests or deliveries, you are asked to contact the Welcome Center to give them a heads up (980-677-0618). We do not want to turn away those who should be on campus. 

3. Please share these expectations with your family, friends, guests, vendors, and work colleagues. Let them know how blessed we are to have a Welcome Center, which is the front door to our friendly, protective, and secure community. 

There are many things I know to be true about our Village. We are caring. We respond compassionately to what matters. Even now, in instances where we are called to let our better selves shine, we can see how and why Covenant Village is the place Where Life Is Filled With Promise! 

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