April 10, 2010, Cedar Rapids, IA
The absence of Cedar Rapids’ two magnificant theatre pipe organs was no obstacle for CRATOS in sponsoring a “Pedals, Pipes and Pizza” young persons pipe organ discovery presentation. The event, organized by CRATOS President Darren Ferreter and Treasurer Ralph MacDowell, took place at First Presbyterian Church with 13 area young [...]
The Iowa Theatre Building, home of Theatre Cedar Rapids, opened on February 26th, 2010 to a black tie audience that filled the house. TCR staff have put together some incredible videos of the work involved with restoring and updating the building. The TCR team has done an incredible job of restoring some of the original [...]
CRATOS extends our deepest sympathies to to family of George Baldwin, who passed away on Saturday, December 26th, 2009 at the age of 90.
George was a founding member of CRATOS, having presided for many years as treasurer of the organization. George and the Paramount Theatre’s Mighty Wurlitzer were a fixture of the community for decades, [...]
CRATOS is pleased to be able to report that the Cedar Rapids City Council, on Feb 4, 2009, voted to restore the flood-damaged Paramount Theatre. The restoration funding is inclusive of the theatre and the organ. The Cedar Rapids Gazette provided the update on this monumental decision.
More updates will be provided as details are released.
Just over 6 months since sustaining flooding from the Cedar River, the Paramount Theatre has flooded once again. This time a broken water pipe, apparently left unchecked, caused the building’s sub-basement, basement and orchestra pit to fill with water.
Fortunately this time the water was clean, but still damaging to an already flooded and closed building. [...]
CRATOS members gathered for the 2008 annual membership meeting, the first full meeting of the organization since the June 2008 flooding severely damaged the Wurlitzer and Barton organs.
Members present enjoyed food, music, and conversation prior to the start of the annual meeting. Father Joe Roost provided entertainment on an Allen R211 donated for the occasion [...]
On August 2, 2008, the strangest thing since the Great Flood of 2008 happened in Cedar Rapids, IA. CRATOS members, assisted by the Rockwell Retiree Volunteers, and The History Center, moved the Wurlitzer and Barton consoles into the new organ restoration room. For the first time in the history of Cedar Rapids, two completely unique theatre [...]
Just shy of 1 month following the dramatic removal of the Paramount’s 1928 Wurlitzer Balaban 1A theatre organ console, CRATOS and CRBI coordinated another rescue effort. This time it was the 1928 Rhinestone Barton console from Theatre Cedar Rapids (formerly the Iowa Theatre).
The Barton console was damaged by the floodwaters, but the impact to the organ was [...]
With the conclusion of the ATOS National Convention in Indianapolis, CRATOS has received word that a “Pass the Hat” fundraising effort during the final banquet help raise funds for our cause. We are very appreciative of the efforts of ATOS and the generous members attending the national convention.
We still have a long way to go [...]
Members of the CRATOS Board of Directors made the journey to Indianapolis over the July 4th weekend to help raise worldwide awareness to the impact of the June 2008 flooding in Cedar Rapids, IA.
Ferreter, Kelzenberg and Marple attended the July 6, 2008 annual membership meeting at the request of Ken Double, ATOS President and CEO. At the start [...]
