NFK Getting Ready to Enter Next Phase

All NFK Board Members, Staff, Volunteers, Partners, and Stakeholders…

“So rewarding to envision lofty goals for such a noble cause as NFK…and then achieve….our machine seems able to climb any hill…we just need to assess it, form a valid plan and make it happen.”  – Bob Houston

I am using Bob’s quote because it reminded me of the time about 4 years ago when we were all observing the construction of our new 7600 sf facility towering over the old 700 sf cinder block building.  All of us on the board and staff often looked up at this “lofty” structure and said, “what are we going to do now!?”

It is now time to climb yet another “hill” and achieve much higher goals than we started out with.  It is also time to reflect and to admire what we have accomplished as a team. As a team and community we have a very special foundation to build on and accomplish even greater goals for the future of our children…

We have also been very good at building partnerships and collaborations.  I am very proud of NFK’s outreach efforts during the past few years.  One of those partnerships is with the Non-profit Association of Oregon (NAO).  NAO helped us initially to answer the big question, “what are we going to do now?”  Once again this outstanding non-profit team with Alice Forbes and Barbara Gibbs will lead us as we update and develop new sustainability strategies and goals for the next 3 years.

Board members will be sent updated documents of the business planning process Bob mentioned in his e-mail discussing our success and the board meeting agenda for tomorrow evening.  We will take quality time to go over the process, firm up the initial action items, board member and staff participation, and get started right away.  NAO will help us through this major task in a friendly, fun, and productive manner leading to a NFK Board retreat later this year.

Once again, we should be proud of what NFK and the community have accomplished over the past 12 years.  We should also remember the contributions of past board members, staff, volunteers, and supporters who cheer us on the sidelines.  I know from input from many stakeholders and community leaders that we are considered with high regard and much respect in the community and among our peers in the non-profit business sector.

Steve Sparks
Vice Chair