By Jessica Gorman

Anyone who runs a nonprofit (or at least a nonprofit that has operations to maintain) will tell you, it’s not for the faint of heart. People don’t always realize how much goes into it. That there is the work and then there is the job. The work is our “why.” It’s the good we are trying to do, the thing that we are trying to accomplish, the cause we work to support. It’s what drives us, the thing that keeps us going when things are tough. Then, there is the job. The administrative tasks, keeping the bills paid, maintaining the facilities, and so much more. The job is what makes the work possible.

It’s been four years since I first showed up at the museum. Four years since I hesitantly started down this unexpected path. I never aspired to be a museum director, to run a nonprofit, to be labeled a “historian,” and definitely not to be a professional fundraiser. I’m still not sure that I’m the right person for the job, but here we are. And now, I find myself hesitantly taking on another challenge. Another organization, another set of bills that must be paid, another thing that needs to be taken care of for no other reason than its own sake, because it is inherently important. No other reason is needed.

Several months ago, I agreed to take on the role of President of the Minden Cemetery Association. And so, I want to share my thoughts and my plans. I come to the role with the understanding that board service is about obligation and responsibility. I see the challenges we face, the improvements we can make, the goals we need to set and I’m looking for others who want to do the same.

A few days ago, a wise friend asked me, “You aren’t going to try to do this by yourself are you?” I can’t tell you how much I appreciate those that see the reality of a situation, that acknowledge the weight of the burden, that know first-hand the challenge; those that tell you that they know you can’t carry it alone and that you shouldn’t be expected to.  I’m not. I can’t. No one person can. But, I see the gaps we must fill to be able to do what needs to be done and I know that it won’t be a quick or easy process. It will take patience and perseverance. 

There’s a quote or meme or something about delusion and audacity being all you need to accomplish anything. I think I’ve got both of those covered. Not just the delusion that I have the capacity to carry another organization (I really don’t), but the delusion of standing in the cemetery and seeing what it could be. And the audacity? It’s the audacity to try.

So, how does this process start? It starts with conversations. It starts with finding the people who want to be involved. I intend to plan a meeting for January. If you have loved ones buried at the Minden Cemetery or just want to be involved, I hope you’ll plan to attend. For now, you can keep a watch on the Minden Cemetery Facebook page for updates. This meeting is intended to foster discussion about the cemetery. Bring your questions, concerns, and suggestions.

Our most pressing issue is increasing  donations, because reality is that nothing happens without the money to pay for it. The Minden Cemetery is not a perpetual care cemetery. It is not owned or funded by the city. It is the responsibility of all of us with loved ones buried in the cemetery to see to it that the funds are available to care for the cemetery, and I’m not looking to just keep it mowed. I want it cared for.  I want gravestones cleaned, repaired, and preserved. I want the ability to be proactive in taking care of the roads and to head off future issues from the large trees that still remain in the cemetery. And, I’m delusional enough to believe that we can make it happen.

(Jessica Gorman is Executive Director of the Dorcheat Historical Association Museum, President of the Minden Cemetery Association, Webster Parish Historian, and an avid genealogist.)