May 2005 Update
From
The Wilhelm Reich Infant Trust
& The Wilhelm Reich Museum
We thank you for your continual interest and support. For newcomers to our e-mail Update list, none of the names on this list--nor the names of any Museum visitors, conference attendees or bookstore customers--are shared with any other individuals or organizations. If at any time you wish to be removed from this list, please let us know.
All previous Updates, dating from March 2004, available online.
You can access them through the Updates option at the top of this page or via the Quick Links along the left side of the page. These Updates provide the best contemporaneous accounts of the Trust's ongoing activities over the past six years.
Visiting Orgonon
Summer Conference: July 18-22
Combine the Conference With Leisure Time
Evening of Music: July 16
Become a Friend of the Wilhelm Reich Museum
It All Began With $823
VISITING ORGONON
As we prepare for our summer season, we want to remind you of our
hours so you can plan your visits accordingly.
Our 175-acre property, with its trails and nature walks, is open daily
to the public year-round from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The Orgone Energy Observatory is open for tours in July and August,
Wednesday - Sunday, 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. And in September on
Sundays only, 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. Admission is $6.00 for adults
and children over 12. Children under 12 are admitted free.
Special tours at any other time are available by appointment only;
admission is $100 for groups of up to ten people.
The Conference Building--which houses the Museum and Trust
offices, the Reading Room and the Orgone Room--is open
year-round Monday-Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
SUMMER CONFERENCE: JULY 18-22, 2005
WILHELM REICH & ORGONE ENERGY:
LOOKING BACK, MOVING FORWARD
As we look ahead to the future of Reich's work in science and medicine,
this conference will bring together voices and faces of the past and
present to investigate the possibilities and challenges of the future.
Those who knew and worked with Reich will share their experiences,
and current opportunities for medical trials of orgone blankets and
accumulators in America will be explored.
We hope you will join us for what promises to be a stimulating week
of discussion and debate as we move forward into the future.
Presenters:
Theirrie Cook
Wanda Ferguson
Bernard Grad, Ph.D.
Morton Herskowitz, D.O.
Kevin Hinchey
Conny Huthsteiner, M.D.
Ronald Maio, D.O., M.S.
Kathy Steward
James Strick, Ph.D.
Monday, July 18th
9:00 a.m.
"The Historic Context of Reich's Laboratory Work:
From Biomedical Research of the 1930s to the Present Day"
Presenter: James E. Strick, Ph.D.
Dr. Strick is a science historian specializing in the history of ideas about
the origins of life. He is the author of Sparks of Life: Darwinism and
the Victorian Debates Over Spontaneous Generation, and co-author of
The Living Universe: NASA and the Development of Astrobiology.
2:00 p.m.
"Memories of Working With Reich"
"Opportunities & Obstacles for the Future of Reich's Biological Work"
Presenter: Bernard Grad, Ph.D
Dr. Grad is a biologist, a former student of Wilhelm Reich, and author of
"Wilhelm Reich's Experiment XX" and "The Effects of the Orgone
Accumulator on the Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia of AKR Mice."
Tuesday, July 19th
9:00 a.m.
"Memories of Reich"
Presenter: Morton Herskowitz, D.O.
Dr. Herskowitz is a practicing orgone therapist, President of the
Institute for Orgonomic Science, and author of Emotional Armoring:
An Introduction to Psychiatric Orgone Therapy.
No events planned for the afternoon - enjoy Rangeley Lakes!
5:00 p.m.
Reception at the Orgone Energy Observatory (including a tour)
Wednesday, July 20th
9:00 a.m.
"A Proposed Clinical Study to Test the Effectiveness
of Orgone Blankets in the Treatment of Burns"
Presenters: Ron Maio, D.O. and Conny Huthsteiner, M.D.
Conny Huthsteiner, M.D., is a psychiatric orgonomist in
private practice in Boston, Massachusetts. She is Vice President
of the Institute of Orgonomic Science, and is staff and faculty
at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Maio is Professor and Associate Chair of Research in the Department
of Emergency Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School,
Director of the University's Injury Research Center, and Assistant Dean
for Research Regulatory Affairs for the Medical School.
2:00 p.m.
Recreation – Bald Mountain hike (weather permitting)
Those who are interested can take a guided 3-hour hike up Bald Mountain
which offers spectacular views of Mooselookmeguntic Lake where Reich
first observed atmospheric orgone energy in the summer of 1940 while
staying in a cabin on the lake. Kevin Hinchey, Associate Director
of the Wilhelm Reich Museum, will lead the hike.
Thursday, July 21st
9:00 a.m.
"Building and Selling Orgone Accumulators and Orgone Blankets"
"Practical and Research Considerations & Anecdotal Customer Data"
Presenter: Theirrie Cook
Theirrie Cook founded and is the sole proprietor of Orgonics, a business
that develops and sells orgone energy accumulators to the public.
2:00 p.m.
"Wilhelm Reich and Orgone Energy: A Survey of the FBI & FDA Files"
Presenter: Kevin Hinchey
Mr. Hinchey is Associate Director of the Wilhelm Reich Museum
7:00 p.m.
"Recollections of Reich and Orgonon in the 1950s"
Presenters: Wanda Ferguson & Kathy Steward
Mrs. Ferguson--a writer and native of Rangeley, Maine--will discuss her experiences as a young woman working at Orgonon immediately after the Oranur Experiment in 1951.
Mrs. Steward of Rangeley, Maine is the daughter of Tom Ross, caretaker at Orgonon while Reich was alive. Kathy and her parents lived on the property, and after Reich's death were instrumental in opening Orgonon to the public as The Wilhelm Reich Museum.
Friday, July 22nd
9:00 a.m.
Roundtable Discussion
6:00 p.m.
Steak or Lobster Dinner (additional fee required)
PLEASE NOTE that this dinner is not a part of the formal Conference activities, and will require an additional fee. Reservations for this dinner can be made during conference week.
MEETING PLACE. The summer program will be held in the Conference Building
(formerly Reich's Student Laboratory). A continental breakfast is served
each morning at 8:30 a.m. Presentations begin promptly at 9:00 a.m. Evening
events take place at 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Participants are encouraged
to explore and utilize the Wilhelm Reich Museum's 175-property
and its numerous facilities, including the Reading Room and Orgone Room.
REGISTRATION FEE is $375.00. This includes tuition, information
packet, continental breakfast, refreshments, reception and tour of the
Orgone Energy Observatory. A 25% discount is available for full-time
students who can document their status.
TAX DEDUCTION. IRS regulations permit an income tax deduction
for educational expenses undertaken to maintain or improve professional
skills.
ACCOMMODATIONS. All types of accommodations are available
in and around Rangeley, and you are encouraged to make reservations
early since this is the summer season. Contact the Rangeley Chamber
of Commerce: 1-800-685-2537 or e-mail: mtlakes@rangeley.org.
SCHOLARSHIPS. To apply for the Thomas E. Ross and
Chester M. Raphael memorial scholarships, e-mail us at
wreich@rangeley.org, or send a letter to: Wilhelm Reich Museum,
P.O. Box 687, Rangeley Maine. 04970. All applications must be
received by June 15, 2005.
FOR MORE REGISTRATION INFORMATION call us at:
(207) 864-3443, or e-mail: wreich@rangeley.org
COMBINE THE CONFERENCE WITH LEISURE TIME
When planning the summer conferences, we try to set aside sufficient
free time so that attendees can enjoy the Rangeley Lakes Region.
We also encourage those who are coming to try--if possible--
to make a short vacation out of their visit, by arriving the weekend
before the Conference or staying the weekend after it ends.
Reich fell in love with the area when he first visited in the summer
of 1940. And so will you. The Rangeley Lakes Region has so
much to offer. The lakes themselves--Rangeley, Cupsuptic,
Mooselookmeguntic, Upper Richardson, Lower Richardson,
Umbagog, Aziscoos, Kennebago. Canoeing, kayaking and boating.
Wilderness camping on the islands and shores. Flyfishing on the
lakes, ponds, and rivers. Hiking and backpacking in the mountains
(the Appalachian Trail is just a few miles south of both Rangeley
and Oquossoc). Exploring the backroads of Maine. And visiting
historic sites and museums.
If you need any assistance in planning your leisure time during
your visit, let us know what your interests are and we'll be
happy to offer you some suggestions.
EVENING OF MUSIC - SATURDAY NIGHT, JULY 16
One suggestion is to arrive the weekend before the conference begins,
spend the days exploring the lakes, mountains and forests, then come
to Orgonon on Saturday evening for our annual Festival of Music.
Four separate performances featuring four different musical styles:
jazz piano, flute, bluegrass fiddle, and acoustic guitar. Seating is limited;
last year's performance sold-out, and will undoubtedly sell-out again
this year.
BECOME A FRIEND OF THE WILHELM REICH MUSEUM
We are currently launching a comprehensive Friends of the
Wilhelm Reich Museum membership drive to increase much-needed
financial support from those who have been touched, in some way,
by the good works of The Wilhelm Reich Museum and The Wilhelm
Reich Infant Trust.
Perhaps you've been a Friend in the past, and your membership
has lapsed. Or you have visited the museum. Maybe you ordered
books from our bookstore. Or attended a Summer Conference,
or one of our functions in New York City, or some other event at
the museum: a nature program, a lecture, an Evening of Music,
or another community-oriented activity.
Perhaps you visit our new website or receive our Monthly Updates to apprise yourself of developments as the Museum and
Trust move ahead into the future.
Or maybe you have simply found personal inspiration and sustenance
in the life, work, and writings of Dr. Reich.
Whatever it is that touches and moves you about Reich--or about
his home and property at Orgonon--we are asking you to translate
that into a pledge of financial support by joining the Friends of the
Wilhelm Reich Museum.
- Individual: $25
- Family: $35
- Business: $40
- Contributing: $50
- Sustaining: $125
- Donor: $250
- Patron: $500
- Life: $1000
Members receive the Friends' annual newsletter, free admission
to the Orgone Energy Observatory during visiting hours, a 10%
discount on purchases at the Museum bookstore, and advance notice
of new publications. Patron and Life members also receive free
passes to the Orgone Energy Observatory for persons accompanying
them.
IT ALL BEGAN WITH $823
Did you know that 45 years have passed since the Wilhelm Reich
Infant Trust --in accordance with Reich's Will--opened the property
at Orgonon to the public as The Wilhelm Reich Museum? During
those years, the museum has grown dramatically, expanding its
services and influence.
The 175-acre property has been developed into a Nature Center.
Buildings in which Reich lived and worked have been brought
back to life. Every summer one of our cabins is home to the
Adoptive & Foster Families of Maine. And new programs,
exhibits, a biographical video and a website have been created to
provide knowledge of Reich's work and the environment in which
it took place. Out-of-print books by Reich have been produced,
as well as a six-volume Journal of unpublished articles.
All of which has been accomplished solely through dedicated
volunteer service and financial contributions of people like you.
Regrettably Reich had little money left to carry out his final wishes:
after his Will was probated in 1958, only $823 remained to create
and sustain The Wilhelm Reich Museum. It now costs approximately
$150,000 annually to maintain and operate the museum.
Today, as we celebrate the museum's 45th Anniversary, we look
ahead to our future challenges and responsibilities:
- Expanding and enriching our programs
- Publishing new books and journals
- Encouraging independent research
- Arranging for transcriptions and translations of archival materials at Harvard's Countway Library of Medicine
- Preparing the Archives for access to scholars and researchers in January 2008
- And building up the Wilhelm Reich Infant Trust Endowment Fund to insure the financial security of the museum for future generations
All of which takes money. All of which requires a reliable and
substantial income base. Today the museum operates with only two
full-time employees, but additional workers are required during the
summer. And full-time staff will have to be increased if the museum
is to grow. Fundraising events take place year-round, but are limited
by our rural location and long winters. In short, we do everything
possible to help ourselves, but so much more is needed. And one
of the most effective ways to insure support is through annual pledge
donations by Friends of the Wilhelm Reich Museum.
Will you please join the Friends of the Wilhelm Reich Museum with a tax-deductible donation?
In addition to the privileges of membership, donors of $250 and more
will receive a full color 22 x 28 poster of Reich's painting "Eagles."
Those contributing $1000 or more will also receive free registration
for our 2005 Summer Conference "Wilhelm Reich & Orgone Energy:
Looking Back, Moving Forward (July 18-22)".
Please become a Friend, and know that your contribution will be
used to preserve the environment in which Reich worked and
help develop it into the scientific-educational center that he
envisioned.
UNTIL NEXT MONTH
Please share this Update with colleagues, friends, and family who may be interested in the life and legacy of Wilhelm Reich and the good works of The Wilhelm Reich Infant Trust and The Wilhelm Reich Museum. Thank you again for your friendship and support.
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