APRIL 2014
the newsletter for Nuçi’s Space, a nonprofit musicians’ support/resource center
A Solid Foundation by Bob Sleppy
S
everal years ago when Nuçi’s mom and our founder Linda Phillips decided to step away from the day-to-day operations at Nuçi’s Space I was initially concerned. I wasn’t afraid that Nuçi’s Space would cease to exist or that our mission to prevent suicide and serve those in need would suffer. I can say with utmost certainty Linda wouldn’t allow such an outcome. In hindsight, my concern was rooted in a feeling of personal loss and fear of the potential instability the organization may experience while attempting to adapt to such a significant loss in leadership. My feelings of personal loss were understandable. Linda and I had worked countless hours together, just the two of us, during the early years of building Nuçi’s Space. We often joke that we had spent more time with one another than we did with our spouses. Linda’s position as my boss was clear. However, through investment in our relationship and building trust, she also became my mentor, confidant, mother-figure, occasional therapist and most importantly, one of my closest friends. It’s fair to say that the blurring of lines between these roles presented challenges for both of us along the way but one thing remained clear – I have her back, she has mine and, first and foremost, we are both committed to the continued health and welfare of Nuçi’s Space. At the time, the thought of not having her presence at the Space as a reminder of that support was unsettling to me. Fortunately, I quickly learned that the support and guidance I feared losing had not diminished but flourished. We had filled Nuçi’s Space with a staff, volunteers, board members and donors that had been transformed into a community, creating an institution that transcended the sum of its parts. This community had become our strength. With this realization, any fears of organizational instability had also disappeared. In 2009, as the final days of Linda’s daily trek from Atlanta to Nuçi’s Space began to wind down, many of us wanted to share the news with everyone in our community. We had started to prepare a press release and organize “a big to-do” so that we all could share our gratitude and heartfelt thanks to Linda for breathing life into Nuçi’s Space and making her dream our
reality. Although appreciative of the gesture, Linda insisted that her departure from daily life at Nuçi’s Space not be announced in such a public way. She preferred for her “fading away” to be seen as a natural evolution, not a grand statement of “the changing of the guard.” Linda wrote in her 2010 Annual Giving Letter, “The longevity of an idea is not dependent on the creator of the idea. It is dependent on the worthiness of the idea. Nuçi’s Space will continue because it is worthy.” By the time you read this Nuçi’s Space will have experienced a significant change in staffing. Four of our key staff and Nuçi’s Space family members will be moving on to lives and jobs that exist beyond the confines of our little blue building. Although we are incredibly sad to know that our time working with these kind and compassionate people has come to an end, we are excited for them as they move on to their next adventure. It is impossible to overstate the immense gratitude and love we hold for each of them in our hearts. They will forever be a part of our family and the legacy they tirelessly contributed to through Nuçi’s Space. Obviously, with such a significant change in staffing during a short period of time, there will be bumps along the way as we adapt and grow into a “new normal” at the Space. We will be welcoming new staff and training existing staff to take on new roles and responsibilities. However, our success is assured because of the solid foundation laid by those before them. Although Linda and each of the amazing people that have been integral to the success of Nuçi’s Space deserve a full-blown parade through our streets, they will be cherished for their unwavering commitment to the ideal of service above self. I am humbled by their continued acts of kindness, compassion and selflessness. They have been and will continue to be my greatest teachers. I can only hope that when my time comes to “fade away” from Nuçi’s Space I will be able to do so with the same wisdom and grace they have shown. As always, thank you for your continued support and please consider making a small contribution in honor of the hard work and dedication of our staff and volunteers.
nuçi’s space 396 Oconee Street Athens, GA 30601 706.227.1515 space@nuci.org www.nuci.org www.facebook.com/ nucisspace Newsletter Contributors
Bob Sleppy Chris Byron Will Kiser Lesley Cobbs Betsy Franck Dave Chamberlin Photos
Lesley Cobbs Helen Francis Design & Layout
Larry Tenner