(Click on Images to Enlarge)
Photo 1. Volunteers
for the Foundation. In the first
row and on the right is President Carl Dodrill and next to him is his
wife, Halie, who has always been Secretary and Treasurer of the
Foundation.
Photo
2.Souvenir
hand painted and decorated pipes were given to all volunteers.
They were painted by Susan Kipper.
Photo 3.
People were invited
to help themselves to Pipe Organ Foundation pads and pens.
In addition, Bruce Cozens had made for all volunteers customized
leather keychains.
Photo 4.
There were
displays on each of the 11 pipe organs which the Foundation had rebuilt
and placed during its 22 years.
Photos of gifts to the Philippines were also displayed.
Photo 5. The volunteers spent much time looking at the displays and enjoying seeing the work that had been done over the years.
.
Photo 8.
During the event, Vice President Carl Presley gathered the group and
thanked Carl and Halie Dodrill for their work over the years in organizing
and sustaining the Foundation.
(click on the large images to further enlarge)
Photo 14.
Opus 2
(2004-2005). Mercer Island
Presbyterian Church, Mercer Island, Washington.
Installed as a three-manual, 21 rank instrument, and gradually
expanded to 28 ranks.
Photo 16. Opus
4 (2007-2008). Blessed Seelos
Catholic Church, New Orleans, Louisiana.
This two-manual, 13 rank instrument was given to this church after
a devastating fire.
Photo 17. Opus 5 (2008-2009). Roosevelt High School, Seattle, Washington. This two-manual, 17 rank instrument was an expansion of the 7 rank instrument originally installed there in 1940.
Photo 18. Opus 6 (2010-2012). Covenant Presbyterian Church, Issaquah, Washington. This began with the chapel organ (Opus 1) being moved to the new sanctuary, and it ultimately became a three-manual, 23 rank instrument.
Photo
19.
Opus 7 (2011-2012). St. Luke
Lutheran Church, Mt. Vernon, Washington.
This two- manual, 6 rank instrument, was later expanded to 8 ranks.
Photo 20. Opus 8 (2017-2018). Lamb of God Lutheran Church, Seattle, Washington. Two manuals and 17 ranks.
Photo 21. Opus 9 (2018-2019). Northlake Lutheran Church, Kenmore, Washington. Two manuals and 8 ranks.
Photo
23.
Opus 11
(2020-2022). Faith Lutheran
Church, Seattle, Washington.
Three manuals and 21 ranks.Pipe Organ Foundation Has Joyful Celebration
7/13/23
The Pipe Organ Foundation started in November 2000, and since that time,
it has saved a number of organs by repairing them on site or by removing
them. It has also rebuilt
and placed a total of 11 pipe organs in three different states, and it
has shipped four organs abroad where they are all playing (three in the
Philippines and one in China).
In addition, it has maintained as many as 18 pipe organs, and all
this work has been done on a charitable basis by using closely guided
volunteers. However as Carl
Dodrill (President) and Halie Dodrill (Secretary and Treasurer) are best
served by moving into a senior retirement center and as no one can be
found to take their places, the work of the Foundation must come to an
end. Therefore, no further
projects are planned, and the servicing of organs will cease at the end
of 2023.
Given the above, the decision was made to have a celebration of the work
of the Foundation which would focus upon the volunteers who over the
years have made all the Foundation’s work possible.
Therefore, on June 10, 2023, some 35 volunteers of the Pipe Organ
Foundation gathered together at the Foundation shop on Mercer Island.
This event turned out to be a most positive event for everyone
who came to celebrate the work of the Foundation and to reconnect with
one another. Unfortunately,
two very long-term volunteers (Chuck Huffington and Ben Weyhing) were
unable to make the event and their absences were very much missed.
As the pictures show, the celebration event was very positive indeed.
First, displays had been prepared which focused upon each of the
11 pipe organs which the volunteers had rebuilt and placed.
Pictures had been taken of every one of these instruments and of
the volunteers who had worked on them.
Nearly every one of the volunteers who came to the celebration
could find themselves in multiple pictures in the displays, and this led
to the recall of a huge number of positive memories.
It also led to many enjoyable conversations among the volunteers
and to their being reunited with one another.
One of the volunteers who also became a Foundation Board of Directors
member, David Locke, said, "I didn't fully understand the breadth of
POF's accomplishments until I saw the visual displays of each project.
Imagine the thousands of people who have heard and enjoyed these organs
without knowing whom to thank! It is an admirable accomplishment."
In addition to visiting the displays, the volunteers reconnected with
each other while enjoying the food prepared by Halie.
There was excitement in the air as they recounted the work they
had done, the difficulties they had experienced, and yet the
unbelievable satisfaction when they heard the final products.
Some volunteers had worked on as many as 10 pipe organs!
Part way through the afternoon, the Foundation’s Vice President Carl
Presley called a spontaneous meeting of the volunteers for the purpose
of recognizing the Dodrills for their starting the Foundation and their
ongoing work in keeping the Foundation running.
The Dodrills were presented with a gift, but most importantly
with the enthusiastic echoing by the volunteers of the Vice President’s
delightful and supportive words.
Each one of the volunteers was allowed to take home remembrances of
their work including a hand painted wooden organ pipe for hanging on the
wall in proud display. In
an extended labor of love, those pipes had been individually painted by
Susan Kipper who is the daughter of the Dodrills.
It is believed that these pipes will be remembrances and
conversation pieces for many years to come.
The volunteers were also presented with a custom engraved leather key
chain which showed their names and the positions they had held in the
Foundation. These mementos
were prepared by volunteer Bruce Cozens.
In addition, everyone was invited to take pads of paper printed
for the Foundation, and also pens with flashlights built into them and
with the Foundation’s name on them.