CRATOS Speaks at ATOS 2008 National Convention
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 of the meeting, attended by an estimated 200 members of ATOS from around the world, Ken Double asked CRATOS to speak to the membership on the condition of the Mighty Wurlitzer and Rhinestone Barton organs of Cedar Rapids.
Mr. Ferreter expressed that “many of the arts and entertainment venues of Cedar Rapids were devastated by the flood. The Paramount Theatre sustained damage from 8 1/2 feet of water at stage level”. He went on to say that CRATOS will need the help of the international theatre organ community to bring the Wurlitzer and Barton organs back to the public.
Colonel Jack Moelmann, a long-time friend of CRATOS and a performer at the Paramount Theatre’s Wurlitzer as recently as 2001, joined Mr. Ferreter and presented a donation of $1,000 to CRATOS in support of the organs and the chapter.
Prior to the annual meeting, Darren Ferreter (President), David Kelzenberg (Vice President) and Neal Marple (Secretary) attended a July 5 concert by Walt Strony, another long-time friend of CRATOS, which featured the world premiere of the new Allen Organ Company STR-4 Four-Manual Walt Strony Signature Quantum™ Organ. The concert was held in the Indiana Theatre, Terre Haute, where over 100 local residents joined the mass of ATOS convention attendees in hearing a theatre organ in this beautiful theatre for the first time in many years.
