[NEohioPAL]free handbell offer

[John Krol]

Dear neopals:

I have been overwhelmed, although perhaps not unexpectedly so, by the =
response to my offer of handbells and accessories to a church or school =
that might have a use for them.  I have felt like a human resources =
director who has a pile of resumes in front of him belonging to very =
worthy and qualified candidates, but has only one job to offer and must =
choose from among them.  Consequently, I have chosen what I hope is a =
needy and worthy home for these bells.  To the many of you who responded =
and would also have provided a good home to the handbells I am very sorry =
I did not have more to offer.

I heard from an alum of my school who expressed regret that there was no =
longer a need for them here.  To him I can only respond that I hope I am =
being more faithful to the intent of the original donors of these =
instruments by getting them out of our storage closets and into hands that =
will put them to the use for which they were intended. =20

There is a lot of need out there, and a lot of appreciation for what =
making music can do for the young and for the faithful.  If I may quote =
from the story of the speech given by Ronn Richard, president and chief =
executive of the philanthropic Cleveland Foundation, in the excellent =
article in the Metro section of last Saturday's Plain Dealer, we (the =
city, the county, Northeast Ohio in general) need to "recognize Greater =
Cleveland's arts and cultural institutions as necessities, not amenities, =
and support public funding such as the issue on November's ballot ..."  =
But you already knew that.

Thank you Fred Sternfeld for allowing me to reach so many people so =
quickly. =20

John Krol
jkrol at hawken.edu=20



   =20