Rebuild fund raising

[QFE]

Hi all,

The old girl, a Willis, is starting to feel her age, only a yearly tune and a single addition over the last 100 years.

So far, we have raised £4000 for the job... (total cost of a rebuild, some £40,000). I would really appreciate some fund raising ideas or some grant opportunitites that those organists in the UK may be aware of.

I have the advantage of a PCC who are full behind the project, but the whole thing seems to be a mountain to climb.

Any thoughts or advice greatfully recieved!!

Cheers, QFE

[Krummhorn]

Some fund raising ideas to consider:

Divide the total pipes into the cost ... ask people to pay for one or several pipes.

Divide the total ranks into the cost ... ditto above.

People can also "give" a stop or other parts of the organ that need to be rebuilt.

[QFE]

Hi krummhorn,

That's a nice idea. I guess we could do a sort of 'sposor a pipe' in memory of the departed with a memorial on the organ screen.

[Krummhorn]

Exactly ... just the ticket. I've known of several churches that have done just that.

My own church where I have been the organist since 1982, purchased a new Möller pipe organ in 1979 ... paid for entirely from ... recycled aluminum cans. The campaign at the time was "Cans for Chords". Something so simple, yet when the fundraising is brought down to the non-musical people's thinking, it seems to work.

[tittualex]

Yes tht is the way......... in our church i have noticed the plaques on the organ stating that the pipes for the 'string gamba' was donated by XXXX in memory of XXXX ,and 'Voix Céleste' stop was added in someones memory ; and these were done about a 100 years back........... hence it serves the purpose of a very good memorial of our loved one's .............

Alex.

[Krummhorn]

I have a personal problem with plaques, particularly when they are plastered all over organ consoles; it makes them a 'sacred cow' that can't ever be replaced in future times.

I have to relate an experience that happened in one of my former churches ... a piano (a complete piece of junk with broken keys, busted strings, etc) was donated (churches routinely accept donations for some strange reason) and a plaque attached with the words "Given to the glory of God, so that music from this instrument will be all pleasing for ages to come." That plaque made it a sacred cow. We could not get rid of it, we could not afford to repair it, (its value was equal to a bread crumb),so it sat ... covered ... in a corner.

The 'donor' visited the church about every 6 months, and we had to uncover it and make it look like it was being used, and she would remark "Oh ... my beloved piano ... I sure miss having it, but I can't play anymore, so I so happy to see it being used here to the glory of ... ... ... !"

It's still there today, some 40 years later (I checked recently), and the lady's heirs keep visiting and adoring the same piano. My advice, don't attach the plaques to the instrument ... hang them on a wall in the church, but not near or on the organ or its associated pipe casework.

[QFE]

Hi Krummhorn. We have a similar plaque on the Willis from its 1929 clean and addition. When we get the job done, I'm sure it will be kept as part of the history of the church. Why don't you get a shiny new grand and simply transfer the plaque?

or there could be an unfortunate localised accident with a candle taper ;-)

[Krummhorn]

. . . Why don't you get a shiny new grand and simply transfer the plaque?

or there could be an unfortunate localised accident with a candle taper ;-)

Well, I am not at that California church any longer ... I left there in 1980, but my colleagues who still reside in that city say the piano is still there and still "adored" by the family of the donor.

I like the concept of the candle taper ... ... I'll have to pass that along.