Help and Support for a friend

[Elian Degen J.]

Dear Friends and Colleagues

Please read on to the end.
Many of you know me from when I used to be active in the list, for those who
does not, I will briefly say that I used to be a Piano tuner and technician
in Caracas, Venezuela. Member and Founder of the Venezuelan Piano Tuners
Association and due to the instability of Venezuela the past two years I
have been working my way towards moving to US. Presently I am in Weston
Florida. and still with to many problems to be active as I used to be, but I
am making an exception today, because a person, a colleague and a friend who
is also a PTG member needs our help.

I had the pleasure and the honor to meet Thomas Sheehan in Venezuela several
years ago, he came to visit some family that lives there, and also to check
some of the pianos. Since I met him I found him to be not only a
professional in his line of work, but also a very nice and decent man.
I met him again some time ago in one of my trips to US. Troubles had started
in my Country, and he was one of the persons I could call and find support
with in those times. Last year I learned he had developed cancer, I do know
PTG made a fund rise and I am very grateful to all of you and his friends.
But he still needs our help. I have been following up and lately as I spoke
to him, (last time was yesterday evening) he has been working less and less
and now Chemotherapy has undermined his strength to a point that has been
unable to leave home. His long illness and the therapy have left him in a
desperate economical situation, He referred many of his customers to other
tuners without asking anything in exchange, and I am positive he has not
asked anything else to his friends and colleagues. I took the initiative of
doing it. I did talk yesterday night with Ken Swaford and Paul Kupelian and
they promised me to do what they could.

Please, those of you who think can help in any way get in touch either with
Paul Kupelian or Ken Swaford, This is something that could happen to any of
us. and I think we will all feel much better knowing we are not alone. Also,
besides the economical part, those who know him or live near him, give him a
call, cheer him up a little, As I understood from what he told me,
Chemotherapy  was achieving positive results, he is just very weak, If we
can make him feel he has our support and care, that will also strengthen his
will and could help a lot in his recovery.

If you know people out of the list who could help or who knows him send them
a copy also



Any other questions you can also call me

Ken and Paul's numbers you can find them in the PTG listing, Toms phone
number is 1 (212) 712-0957
Beside the phone listed below you can also reach me at (954)385-6501

Thank you very much in advance



                Elian Degen

                 DEGEN'S  PIANO  INC.
                       14359 Miramar Parkway # 254
                       Miramar, Fl 33027-1001 U.S.A.
                       Phone: 1(954)614-3453
                       Fax: 1(801)640-7621