Director's Corner
It's April 30th, which means we're cutting this month's newsletter pretty close. And while I would like to say that it's on purpose, it isn't. We value authenticity here at NaCoMe, so I have to come clean. I was under the weather for a couple days last week, and between summer camp preparations and retreat groups starting on weekdays in addition to the normal weekends, I haven't had any time to write this. Plus, I didn't know what to write about, which is probably a bigger issue than any of the other things I mentioned. Cutting it close isn't my normal habit (or at least I feel like it isn't), but it has given me some inspiration.
There's a chasm of difference between barely making it and thriving. That's not any sort of new revelation. But NaCoMe has taught me that moving from one to the other requires that little ingredient that I mentioned at the top: authenticity. Another word may be honesty, but I like the fullness associated with authenticity. This is not to say that moving from barely making it to thriving doesn't require the obvious ingredients: effort, grit, resilience, maybe some luck, and a whole lot of other stuff. But there is tremendous power in the vulnerability of being authentic.
In the past few years, NaCoMe has worked to not be shy about asking for help. It would be a point of pride to say that the staff and board here at camp have everything in hand. But we all know what pride precedes. Instead, we've worked to be open and honest about the help we need. We need service groups, like First Presbyterian of Clarksville this past weekend, to keep our facilities and program areas in good shape. We need supporters in the community, like so many of you that have shared about positive experiences at NaCoMe- whether at summer camp or on retreats. Regardless of what we spend on marketing, word of mouth is by far the most important tool we have. We need assistance from local businesses, like the one who gave us a great deal on a new tractor. And we need financial support, like all the members of the 1940 Club and all the churches that sponsor summer campers. Now, if we didn't have any of those things, NaCoMe probably wouldn't close - at least not immediately. But we would likely only make it by the skin of our teeth. We would just be hanging on. It's all of you reading this right now that help us thrive. The service groups, the word of mouth, the partnerships with local businesses, and especially the donors all help this ministry not only reach more people, but to reach people in new and better ways.
Here's to thriving for many years to come!
-Ryan "Flash" Moore, Director
