Conrad You done good. I couldn't have written a better letter. In your situation, Conrad, would there have been a possibility for one of the dorms or the chapel at Luther to take the piano? Wim Quoting Conrad Hoffsommer <hoffsoco at luther.edu>: > To the CAUTerized, > > One of the hardest parts of my job... > > I'd rather wrestle with simultaneous, multiple, obstinent fortepiani > than > write this kind of letter. I've had to do it before, and I am sure > I'll > have to do it again. It took me a long time to come down to the > wording > I've got here and sent it, but I'm sure some things could have been > said > better. > > Do any of you folks have a "stock" letter to cover this situation, or > do > you have to agonize over every one? > > > > > Mr ---, > > At 02:40 PM 11/20/2006 -0600, you wrote: > >Mr. Conrad Hoffsommer > >Luther College > > > >Dear Conrad: > > > >As I told your colleague ---- ----, my mother, ---- ----, lived in > >-------(assisted living) in Decorah, where she died two weeks ago. > In her > >apartment is an Acrosonic spinet style piano, about 50 years old, > with a > >built-in humidifier. It has been tuned and maintained by ---- in > Decorah, > >who is familiar with the instrument and can provide further details. > My > >sister, a fairly accomplished pianist, thinks it is a very nice > piano, > >with good tone and good action, in good condition. It also looks > nice. > > > >Would Luther be interested in the piano? If so, I would be happy to > > >donate it to you, with thanks for the great enjoyment my parents got > out > >of the college's music program during their time in Decorah and > >before. If you want it, just tell me so, and we can arrange for you > to > >pick it up. The only catch is, you have to transport it, and we > probably > >should get it out of ------ by mid December, if possible. > > > >I will look forward to hearing from you. > > > >Dick > > > > --My response: > > > We greatly appreciate your generous offer to donate a piano to > enhance the > Luther College music program. > > While I am not familiar with your mother's instrument in particular, > I am > familiar with the make and model. Baldwin Acrosonics do have a good > > reputation as far as spinet pianos are concerned. Unfortunately, it > was > not built to take the strenuous use that an institutional environment > would > give it. Because it doesn't have the heavy duty construction of > studio > consoles and larger upright pianos, I fear that it would quickly be > destroyed in such an venue. > > It was designed as a home piano and, in my opinion, it's best place > would > be in a home or light duty location such as a church Sunday school > room or > parlor. > > I'm sorry to say that we do not have a suitable location here to make > a > fitting memorial of the piano. > > Thank you again for your offer. > > > > > Conrad Hoffsommer - Keyboard Technician > Luther College, 700 College Dr., Decorah, Iowa 52101-1045 > 1-(563)-387-1204 // Fax 1-(563)-387-1076 > > - Right now, I'm hoping to live until my age matches my golf score, > - Until then, I'll have to be content to have my IQ match my > handicap. >
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