Just two years ago, Sandy Cove — like many businesses and organizations across the nation — was reeling from the sudden and far-reaching implications of the pandemic. The ministry was forced to close its doors for three months as the leadership team scrambled to radically reduce expenses. One of their first calls was to Jeff Ritter, President of Altra Lawncare & Landscaping Services, which has maintained the landscape at Sandy Cove since 2015. Services would have to be paused.
Jeff’s response was immediate and extraordinary: He voided two outstanding invoices…and then wrote a check to the ministry as a donation.
According to Stephen J. Weaver, Sandy Cove President and CEO, Jeff’s generosity was the first of many ways God encouraged and sustained the ministry in its most challenging season.
“It was a moment where we saw a tangible expression of God’s love and provision in a way that was above and beyond our expectations,” says Stephen.
“At the height of the crisis we were looking at insurmountable bills and debt. But to have that money coming in was like the first fruits of God showing up and saying, ‘I’ve got this; I’m going to provide for your needs.’”
God’s provision for the ministry has taken many forms over the last two years: the generosity of donors who committed to Sandy Cove’s survival, business neighbors like Altra who extended mercy, and even the organization’s workforce family and board leadership who offered added support. All have stood in the gap as a reminder that Jesus Never Fails.
House Parties
With an initial 75 percent reduction of its workforce, the reopening of Sandy Cove meant a slow internal climb to add to the employee rolls. Nationwide, the hospitality industry continues to struggle to recover its pre-pandemic workforce numbers and nowhere is that felt more keenly than in housekeeping.
At Sandy Cove, each member of this small but mighty team can clean an average of 14 bedrooms and clocks nearly seven miles each day. But as guests began to return and new business for retreats andconferences increased, their arrivals outpaced adequate staffing. The answer? House Parties.
“The House Party was an attempt to brand an all-hands-on-deck call for staff to come alongside the hardworking housekeeping team to change over rooms in time to welcome a new tide of incoming guests,” explains Stephen.
It’s little surprise that deeper lessonse merged from this team approach. “There is understanding and appreciation for our frontline employees in housekeeping. They take care of the most basic needs of our guests by cleaning their rooms and giving them a place to rest so that our mission can be accomplished.”
Leadership
There was no handbook to navigate the fallout of the pandemic, and with ever-changing guidelines from the CDC, Sandy Cove’s Board of Directors provided extraordinary leadership and insight. Their guidance and real-life experience (several members led the ministry through the 2008/2009 recession) were crucial navigating difficult decisions early on. Key to their efforts was the constant encouragement of Board Chair Paul Palmer, Jr., who leveraged the lessons from his grandfather, Sandy Cove founder Dr. George Palmer, to inspire the leadership team and Stephen in particular.
“There is no way to explain how deep his connection to this ministry and the history goes. His level of care and ownership is unparalleled. We all benefit from how much he cares and it is absolutely something I see as providential that he was the Board Chair when the pandemic hit,” says Stephen.
Stephen said early in the pandemic Paul was moved to pray Proverbs 30:8, asking God to simply provide our “daily bread.”
“Essentially, it was ‘We’re going to make the best decision we can made today with the information we have.’’’ “That posture was what gave us the capacity to continue.”
