[CAUT] [pianotech] Our brother's keepers

Barbara Richmond piano57 at comcast.net
Fri May 1 06:05:40 PDT 2009



Mark, 



I know of a number people who have benefited from this tradition--it truly is PTG at its best.  Thanks for rallying the troops.  I'm in. 



Barbara Richmond, RPT 


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mark Schecter" <mark at schecterpiano.com> 
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech at ptg.org>, "College and University Technicians" <caut at ptg.org> 
Sent: Thursday, April 30, 2009 11:56:14 PM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central 
Subject: [pianotech] Our brother's keepers 

To all my brothers and sisters in piano work: 

One of the downsides of self-employment is the exposure we have to 
catastrophic events. Although some of us are employed by institutions or 
  dealerships, most of us go it alone, and if something happens, we deal 
with it in the best way we can scrape together, for better or for worse. 

Few of us have the resources to survive comfortably through any extended 
period of unemployment, whether as a result of health issues, 
macro-economic stresses, or sudden traumas. We just keep on plugging, 
with our fingers crossed, and if we're fortunate, our spouse or partner 
will help pull us through in a time of need. If we're the sole support, 
we're in real trouble. 

John Granholm will not be able to work for a good while. I don't have 
any idea what his financial situation is, but presumably, if he didn't 
need to be working, like most of us do, he would be fishing or golfing 
or otherwise relaxing. In other words, he is suddenly facing, among 
daunting physical difficulties, the prospect of no income, when just 
last week, the assumption was he would be working for a living. 

Having been in similar straits once, though not nearly so severe, I well 
remember the deep gratitude I felt for my fellow piano technicians who 
helped me get through in my time of need. Members of my chapter of PTG 
tuned pianos for me, and gave me the checks. I choke up right now just 
remembering those acts of love and support. Nothing has ever meant more 
to me. 

So here's what I'm going to do: I will tune one piano a month for John 
Granholm and send him the check, until he's able to return to work. This 
is one way I can express my gratitude for PTG; for the generosity of its 
members, my brothers and sisters, toward their fellows; and to John for 
his contributions to our world. I want to ease his mind during his 
recovery. I hope you will join me. 

-Mark Schecter, RPT 
San Francisco Chapter since 1979 


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