Pipe Organ Foundation

VOLUNTEERS

VOLUNTEERS ARE BACKBONE OF
BLESSED SEELOS PROJECT

This project was entirely completed with volunteer labor, with no paid employees, and with almost no outsourcing of labor at any point. More than 4,000 hours of volunteer time have been contributed by 37 volunteers towards the rebuilding of the organ for Blessed Seelos Catholic Church in New Orleans (see PROJECTS Section for the church's history and for a technical description of the organ). Many of these volunteers came from the Mercer Island Presbyterian Church and the remainder from the Pipe Organ Foundation. Under the direction of the Pipe Organ Foundation (especially Carl Dodrill and James Stettner) the volunteers have done the multitude of tasks required to rebuild a pipe organ including but not limited to the following:

1. Moving the organs given to the Foundation which went into the present instrument.

2. Assisting in the drawing and layout of the organ within the space provided.

3. Windchest work including releathering, installing magnets, rackboarding, and the actual building from scratch of an occasional windchest.

4. A great deal of wiring including wiring of windchests, Syndyne TM driver boards, and electronic component boards in the console.

5. Building structural supports for the windchests, walkboards, and other components of the organ.

6. Wood finishing work including restoring the console to "like new" condition.

7. Winding including working with the Spencer blower, regulator rebuilding, and laying in place all windlines.

8. Pipework including cleaning and repairing of pipes.

9. Transporting of the organ to New Orleans.

10. Installing the organ in New Orleans (13 volunteers involved by going to New Orleans and doing the work).

We are most proud of our volunteers and their labor over the 17 months that this project has taken for completion. The volunteers have been supported by hundreds upon hundreds of meals provided by the Foundation and prepared by Halie Dodrill. The social support and sharing around the lunch and dinner tables have been pivotal for completion of the entire project and Halie's warmth and hospitality has been key to the entire effort.

Below are photos of the project volunteers in action.

(For larger images, just click on the small photos)

VOLUNTEERS REBUILD ORGAN FOR MERCER ISLAND CHURCH

Approximately 46 volunteers for the Pipe Organ Foundation are now nearing the end of a rebuild of a 21 rank, 4 division, pipe organ for Mercer Island Presbyterian Church. They began this major endeavor in March, 2003, and it is expected to be completed in the winter 2005. Activities of the volunteers are shown in the photographs. By November, 2004, they had put in more than 4,000 hours on this instrument.

Included below are photographs of various volunteers who are making this pipe organ a reality by performing the wide variety of tasks needed to rebuild an instrument.

If you would like to join them, please let us know by phone
(206) 236-3492 or e-mail info@pipeorganfoundation.org.