POE Matching Gift Challenge

Summer 2008 will see not one but two Pipe Organ Encounters (POEs) in Region VI! This initiative to support the next generations' interest in our profession is one of the most wonderful and successful programs of the Guild. (See additional information, including a video, in my previous post about POEs, below.)

My colleague, Lary Grossman, Councillor for Region I (New England - see his blog), recently reminded me that a generous donor has pledged to match – dollar for dollar, up to $10,000 – all new sources of funding supporting the 2008 POEs across the nation, in honor of the twentieth anniversary of the Pipe Organ Encounter program.

Any donation, large or small, from a chapter, church, organization, or individual, counts - as long as it's a new source of funding for a POE. If your chapter has never donated, now is the time to make your donation go twice as far! Please consider donating, and help spread the word about this match program to all members and friends who are interested in helping young organists.

Contributions, which are tax-deductible, may be sent to the AGO Development Office (475 Riverside Drive, Suite 1260, New York NY 10115) or made online here (use the Annual Fund area and indicate POE Matching Gift Challenge in the Comment box). If you send a check, please indicate POE Matching Gift Challenge in the memo field.

And of course, please spread the word to potential students for both our POEs this summer! For more information:

• POE Advanced in Lincoln, NE - for teens who have previous POE experience or have studied organ
• POE+ in Ft. Collins, CO - for adults, both beginners and experienced organists - e-mail Dr. Joel Bacon at Joel.Bacon@colostate.edu

Let's all show our thanks to these Region VI chapters for hosting these very important Guild programs by supporting these POE programs in every way we can!