Manny Acta's farewell letter to Nats fans

As I stated from Day 1, I am (and always have been) grateful to have had the opportunity to serve the Nationals, their fans, and the DC community. I accepted this position knowing that the road would be long, rough, and full of difficult challenges. But I always believed in both the Washington Nationals and the DC community, and I was energized every day to assume responsibility for the incredible task at hand. Remember, I come from a town in the Dominican Republic where the roads to success are ALWAYS long, rough, and full of challenges; so I was excited to help bring success to you all, as well as prepared for the tough journey.

And boy, what a tremendous journey it has been! There are countless incredible experiences that I am grateful to have encountered with you all.

On the baseball field, it has obviously been a tough go. In 2007, we opened some eyes and made some progress. Then 2008 was a tremendous challenge due to the injuries and lack of stability. And 2009, well, you know the story.

Off of the field, 2007 gave me a chance to meet so many of you for the first time, at the stadium or on the streets of DC while working in the community with the Dream Foundation and other non-profits interested in making a positive impact.

I also started the ImpACTA Kids Foundation, which targeted children in both the DC area and the Dominican Republic. Your contributions have led to thousands of kids having experiences that could potentially motivate them to overcome the same long, rough, obstacle-ridden road that I personally have had to overcome and that Nats are in the process of overcoming.

Your work with my Foundation has also helped two DC community high school students prepare for college by awarding them academic scholarships to the college of their choosing. There is no exchange for the value I've received in seeing the smiles on the faces of all of the boys and girls we've been able to help out. I've always said that one of my life-long goals is to leave a positive impact on the people I meet and work with; and I hope that I have been true to that.

You may be wondering what exactly I will do next. Well, my immediate priority is to spend time with my family. And, since I am no magician, I don't specifically know what the future holds for me. What I do know, however, is that Martin Luther King, Jr. once wrote, "If you can't run, walk...if you can't walk, crawl...but by all means, keep moving."

What great words! So, true to his words, I know tomorrow will bring another day, and I assure you that, whether it is running, walking, or crawling, I will certainly keep moving forward.

Thanks everybody (fans, media, colleagues, Nats employees) for all that you brought to my life.

Until we have the opportunity to cross paths again...Take care NatsTown!

-MA