[Leica] How the LTM windfall came about...

[jan at gviolins.com (Jan van Rooyen)]

Ken, May God bless you. - Jan van Rooyen



On Fri, Feb 27, 2009 at 8:06 AM, Ken Frazier <kennybod@mac.com> wrote:

> Leica friends,
>
> I thought it might be appropriate to let you know how this windfall came to
> be.
>
> The man who brought these to my office was the father of a Marine killed in
> Iraq last year, one of my parishioners.  For weeks following the son's
> death, in numerous painful meetings with Marine Corps representatives, his
> company commander who flew in from Iraq, having to review painful 
> documents,
> signing insurance papers, etc. -- for all that time, and months after, I 
> was
> with the family 5 or 6 days a week, sometimes for an hour, sometimes for
> half a day, trying to do my best to hold them together, helping them
> negotiate the red tape, keeping them from doing something stupid, reading
> reports they could not bear to read, taking their anger when they had no 
> one
> else to vent on, and it continues to this day, the work I do with them and
> for them.
>
> I do not write this to make it sound as if I deserve anything.  I suppose I
> write to let you all know how good it is to know that "you are there," and 
> I
> can share in some way my good fortune with you.  I also write this to make
> sure we all know the costs of a stupid and bloody and senseless war.  The
> father's grateful gift to me was tinged with bitterness, as all true gifts
> are, in a way.
>
> So, yes, these cameras and lenses will be used, not put on a shelf.  I will
> honor the gift.
>
> my peace to us all,
>
> Ken
> ---------------------------------------
> sent via .mac webmail from:
>
> Ken Frazier
> Senior Minister
> First Congregational Church
> Waterbury, Connecticut
> ---------------------------------------
>

Jan van Rooyen
Violin Maker
Gainesville Violins Inc
www.gviolins.com/featuredinst
Phone 352-331-5555