(Click on Images to Enlarge)
Group PhotoPhoto 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.

Decorated Pipes
Photo 2.Souvenir hand painted and decorated pipes were given to all volunteers.  They were painted by Susan Kipper.

Gifts for Volunteers
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.

Displays of 11 Pipe Organs
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.

 Looking at Displays
Photo 5
. The volunteers spent much time looking at the displays and enjoying seeing the work that had been done over the years.

Bart Explaining

Photo 6. Long-term volunteer Bart Dawson points out an intricacy in one of the organs on which he worked.

Volunteer Interaction

Photo 7. The viewing of the displays included much interaction with others and reflections on the organ projects.
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Vice President RemarksPhoto 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.

Carl Presley Spoke

Photo 9. The attendees were very attentive as Carl Presley spoke and they were also obviously appreciative of the Dodrills.

Enjoying each other

Photo 10. Volunteers continued to enjoy connecting with one another once again through the afternoon.

Connecting

Photo 11. The celebration went on as people experienced pleasure in connecting with one another once again.

Long-term Connections

Photo 12.Long-term connections were renewed in many contacts made throughout the afternoon.

Photos 13 thru 23 are Posters of the major Opuses of POF
(click on the large images to further enlarge)

Opus 1

Photo 13.  Opus 1 (2001-2002).  Covenant Presbyterian Church, Issaquah, Washington.  This two-manual, 8 rank instrument was the first organ the Foundation customized and installed.

Opus 2
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.

Opus 3

Photo 15. Opus 3 (2006).  Mercy Hospital Chapel, Roseburg, Oregon.  This two-manual, 9 rank organ was rebuilt by the Foundation and installed by Lanny Hochhalter.

Opus 4Photo 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.

Opus 5
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.

Opus 6
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.

Opus 7
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.

Opus 8
 
Photo 20
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Opus 8 (2017-2018).  Lamb of God Lutheran Church, Seattle, Washington.  Two manuals and 17 ranks. 

 

Opus 9
Photo 21
. Opus 9 (2018-2019).  Northlake Lutheran Church, Kenmore, Washington.  Two manuals and 8 ranks.

Opus 10

Photo 22. Opus 10 (2019-2021).  Hope Presbyterian Church, Bellevue, Washington.  Two manuals and 9 ranks..

Opus 11Photo 23
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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.

On June 28, 2023, a report of the celebration appeared in the Mercer Island Reporter on page 11, and this report can be found at https://www.mi-reporter.com/life/mercer-islands-pipe-organ-foundation-has-joyful-celebration/