Back to February Issue >
Three and a Half Decades
of Service and Going Strong!
Early in his years of employment, however, he left to accept the position of Executive Director at Park of the Palms in Keystone Heights, FL. Only 18 months later, he returned to Advent Christian Village and has never looked back.
Ken was recently honored for thirty-five years of continuous service to ACV at the Employee Service Awards, a ceremony that acknowledges milestones in the length of service that staff members have given to ACV. At the ceremony, ACV President and CEO Craig Carter pointed out that he was only 4 years old when Ken first came to ACV. He did some research, however, and described a little of what life in the United States was like at that time:
Ken has played many roles in his tenure at ACV. He was houseparent for a boy’s cottage, lifeguard, Director of Camp Suwannee, Business Manager, Head of Physical Properties, and Director of Related Services at the nursing home, a position that he still holds today.
In 1967, the war in Viet Nam was escalating, as were protests against the war. The average annual income was $7,300. A gallon of gas cost .33 cents. McDonald’s introduced a new sandwich called the Big Mac. The average house price was $3,840. Minimum wage was $1.40 an hour.
At ACV in 1967, Phillips Civic Center (the structure that was recently completely renovated) was a brand new state-of-the-art facility. ACV residents were housed in Dowling Hall and Delong Hall, neither of which exists today. Church services were held in Bixler Chapel; there was no Village Church at that time. The nursing home in 1967 was the Myrtle Carter Nursing Home, which stood on the site where Carter House now stands. The nursing home has since been housed in two other buildings, J. Ralph Smith Health Care Center and Good Samaritan Center, neither of which were built when Ken first began his employment.
Ken has played many roles in his tenure at ACV. He was houseparent for a boy’s cottage, lifeguard, Director of Camp Suwannee, Business Manager, Head of Physical Properties, and Director of Related Services at the nursing home, a position that he still holds today. As such, he is in charge of Food Services, Laundry, Housekeeping, Communications and more. He has also served in various volunteer capacities. He tutored children and taught Sunday School. He was a volunteer fireman on the Village Fire Department, and at one point was the Fire Chief.
He continues to be a cameraman and technician, broadcasting the Village Church services to ACV’s closed circuit television station, so those who are unable to attend can view the service at home. Carter said, “For as long as I can remember, Ken has been an integral part of the day to day operations at the Village. He continues to faithfully uphold the core values of Advent Christian Village and we are most grateful for his years of outstanding service.”