Dear NCLA family,

Well family, this is my last letter to you as President. It has been a pleasure to serve as your president for the last 4 years. I have been grateful to serve and to push the NCLA in a new direction. It has had its challenges, but I have learned and grown so much during this time. I want to thank you all, along with the officers and board that has served during my time. The folks that are here are here because they love and believe in the core fundamentals (education, fellowship, and family) of the NCLA.

You will notice that in all my letters I never really talked about locksmithing, but rather have focused on fellowship, family, and character. I believe these things are far greater than just being a good locksmith. They make the locksmith a great locksmith, because they encompass something far deeper than skill. It has been 18 years since my grandfather went home to be with Jesus. To this day we have people come into our shop and tell us stories of their experience with him. Every person has ended their story with the same words that echo into eternity. Those words are, “He was a good man.”

He was a good man. He was good husband, father, grandfather, locksmith, and so much more. He was not perfect by no means, but he didn’t let it stop him from his calling. The truth is he was a good man, but not on his own accord. He was a good man because he knew Jesus as his savior and lord. You see, without Jesus in his life he wouldn’t really have been a good man or did the things he did do for people. Jesus had changed his heart in 1955. People sometimes tell me I’m a good man, but I have to point them to the only one that is good and that is Jesus. There is no good in me. We live in a fallen world and we are a sinful people, but God rich in mercy, while I was yet a sinner, Jesus Christ died to pay my sin debt (the penalty being hell). When I came to that reality I accepted Him as my Savior and it’s been my joy to do my best to live for him. Jesus, said if you love me, you will obey my commands. People these days have a head knowledge of God, but don’t truly love him. I pray you will come to know the love, grace, and mercy of my Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. He has paid it all. There is nothing you nor I can do to earn His love or favor. He did it all on the cross. If you don’t know Him or want to know more about what this all means please feel free to reach out to me at 336-613-8082.

Now the NCLA is not a religious organization, but it is a fellowship of locksmiths. Over the years the locksmith community was a well respected community. Times have changed and so has culture and with it the locksmith community has been hit hard with scammers. My hope is the NCLA can move forward and help the locksmith regain respect with good training, fellowship, and moral values. I would love to see the community and business’s looking to the NCLA to find locksmiths for all their locksmith and security needs.

I will close with this, the foundation has been set and it’s time to build. Education is continuing to improve Along with the locksmithing field and academy. The tradeshow is coming back and will most likely be in Charlotte February of 2027. I will be heading up the committee for the North Carolina Locksmith and Security Tradeshow hosted by the NCLA. There’s still a lot of work to do, but with the right people it will get done. I want to thank you again for the last four years. I’m looking forward to working along side the new president, officers, and board moving forward.

May the Lord bless you and keep you,

Waldo Smith