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October 2018 Update
From
The Wilhelm Reich Infant Trust
& The Wilhelm Reich Museum

Greetings from the Wilhelm Reich Infant Trust!

I hope this letter finds you well. It is hard to believe that it's been nearly three months since the Summer Conference at Orgonon, highlights from which I mentioned in my August letter. In that communication I referred to steps the Board is taking to improve the Trust's financial situation. In this letter, I wish to explain those in as much details as possible.

As laid out in the will of Dr. Reich, the Trust has been charged with preserving the legacy of Wilhelm Reich, safeguarding his archives, and maintaining Orgonon as the Wilhelm Reich Museum. These tasks come with a cost. At present, the operating expenses of the Trust total $115,000 per year. These are costs related to staffing the Trust office, maintaining the cabins and museum grounds, keeping Reich's published works in print (including many titles only available via the museum bookstore), and the administration of Reich's archives.

In recent years, revenue from book sales and museum visits are not able to cover the annual expenses of the Trust, so it has been forced to draw down the endowment such that in the last year it was in danger of insolvency. To rectify the situation, the Board is making a concerted effort to rejuvenate the endowment and our best hope is to create one large enough to sustain the operations of the Trust. To that end, the we are planning a campaign to raise $3.5 million to safeguard the future of the Wilhelm Reich Infant Trust. That sum would provide the financial resources necessary to make operation of the Trust--including the Museum--sustainable. We have been in touch with various foundations and organizations to start this process and while nothing is definitive, we are encouraged by the response we've had over the summer.

In the meantime, we have taken steps to keep Orgonon functioning by preparing to sell the Bunchberry cabin. This sale should generate enough income to keep Orgonon running for about two years. Also, the harvest of timber on the property will generate about $58,000 for operational costs.

As we move forward with plans for the endowment campaign, I will communicate our progress regularly. It is only with your support that we will reach this ambitious goal, but one that we all agree is worth our collective effort. In the meantime, please become a sustaining member of the Trust or consider a bequest in your will. Such bequests have been a significant source of help in the past. If you would like to donate to the Wilhelm Reich Infant Trust, please contact us directly at 207-864-3443, or make an online donation.

Finally, I would like to provide news regarding Mary Higgins, long-time Trustee of the Wilhelm Reich Infant Trust. Mary has been moved by her family to a care facility in Kentucky, for the time being. A Board of Directors has now replaced the position of Trustee and is executing all of Mary's former duties. That Board includes Josh Dayton, Dr. Ken Baker, Mary Henderson, and me.

I ask that you take a moment to consider the current situation of the Trust and give what you are able. Please also encourage your professional and personal circles to do the same.

Thanks for your generosity and commitment to Reich's legacy.

Warmly,

Dr. James Strick
President, The Wilhelm Reich Infant Trust Board of Directors

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.