Greetings,
As the Incoming CLDI Board president, I was somewhat delighted to find out that I have the opportunity to write a departing letter to our outgoing ED, Eric Basye. I use the word “somewhat delighted” because I know that the master writer himself, Eric, will be reading this. That makes me a little self-conscious in light of his many eloquently written letters, blogs, and other materials. Having said that, here we go, my friend.
I had the unique pleasure of being one of the first to meet Eric and Shelly Basye when they moved to Billings. I have had the opportunity to observe Eric’s timeline with CLDI from the beginning and watch him mature into the leader he is today. CLDI has undoubtedly, benefited from his tenure, and future organizations will now glean from his wisdom as a consultant with The Focus Group. The good news is that he hasn’t yet ridden off into the sunset. Eric will continue to be involved with CLDI as the project manager of Tapestry, CLDI’s 27-unit low-income workforce housing endeavor. Thank you for that!
As most of you know, Eric’s season with CLDI was full of many growth points. I can’t say enough thank yous on this note to cover them all. So, in true Board fashion, I will speak from the 30,000-foot level.
Thank you for further developing CLDI’s roots in the South Side community. By clarifying our mission statement and developing CLDI’s core values, our ministries have grown and flourished under your leadership. Thank you for being a voice for the South Side, to the churches, and to our larger community. Thank you for being an Executive Director who empowered a Board of Directors to prayerfully steward CLDI into the future. For me personally, thank you for teaching me, and many others, the meaning of Imago Dei; God creates all humans in His image, and thus, all individuals possess inherent dignity. Whether it is the South Side in the city of Billings or globally, your leadership has imprinted upon our hearts God’s desire for each one of us to see every human being we encounter as one who has dignity and worth. THANK YOU!!!
Finally, thank you for building an incredible team of people within CLDI that God will continue to use in accomplishing His purposes and making His kingdom known. Through servant leadership, you created an environment for the CLDI team to grow personally and professionally. Thus, as a Board, we were able to promote and hire Kaleb Perdew, previously CLDI’s Youth Works Director, as our new Executive Director knowing that he has been well prepared to continue the CLDI legacy.
So thank you, Eric Basye, and the Basye family for your many gifts, blessings, and sacrifices that brought CLDI to where it is now. I can speak on behalf of many when I say that we all are praying for you and your family in this next chapter. You will be missed.
God bless you,
Dave
