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December 2019 Update
From
The Wilhelm Reich Infant Trust
& The Wilhelm Reich Museum

 

December 2019

Fellow supporters of the work of Wilhelm Reich:

It is hard to know where to begin, describing the monumental changes that have occurred at the Trust in 2019. Mary Boyd Higgins, our founder and director for 60 years, died in January at the age of 93. Fortunately, Mary left in charge an able Board of Directors. However, a number of Board members retired this year, including longtime office manager Mary Henderson. Four new members have joined the Board, bringing much fresh insight, energy and renewed commitment to our task of preserving Reich's legacy. More on this below.

We've just learned that the Trust has received a grant for $26,450 from the Efroymson Family Fund of Indianapolis, to support work with a professional planner to create a three-year strategic plan. Given our need to launch major fundraising for an endowment fund, this is one of several key projects that will help us formulate a path to a stable future.

Another is fundamental redesign of our website, to update and streamline it as one of our main portals of communication with the world. Creation of an updated, user-friendly online store is another part of that process. We are also moving to make our budgeting and accounting more transparent, in line with the professional standards of other nonprofits.

As you can see, the new Board is moving decisively on several fronts. Let me introduce you to our current Board. Of special note, the Board recently welcomed as one of its new members, Renata Reich Moise, daughter of Eva Reich and granddaughter of Wilhelm Reich.

Renata Reich Moise, Secretary

Painter, Nurse Midwife, and unwitting community organizer, Renata Reich Moise lives in Hancock, Maine, across the road from the home she was born in. Wilhelm Reich's teachings have permeated her entire life from the onset. She is honored to join such a genuine and dynamic group of committed people on the Board of the WRIT.

James Strick, President

Jim has studied Reich's work since 1974 as an undergraduate. Now a PhD in history of biology and medicine (Princeton U., 1997) and a Professor at Franklin and Marshall College, he has published several books on the history of ideas and experiments about the origin of life, including Wilhelm Reich, Biologist (Harvard U. Press, 2015). He has served on the Trust's Archives Committee since 2007, and on the Board since January 2017 and has been President since July 2018.

Amy Sabsowitz, Vice President

Amy has been a student of Wilhelm Reich since 1972. She has been committed to the success of Orgonon and the Wilhelm Reich Infant Trust for many years. She understands the essential nature of his work and strives to keep it alive and valid. She lives in Philadelphia, PA and is a happy grandmother, mother and girlfriend.

Patricia Estrada

Patricia Estrada, Psychotherapist and Director of the Centro Reichiano de Mexico has been studying the work of Wilhelm Reich for four decades, committed to the diffusion of his work in Mexico and Latin America, particularly in relation to prevention, psychotherapy, work democracy and social aspects of Reich's work.

Brian Warren, Treasurer

Brian is a retired Colonel of 27 years of service with a 27-year second career as an Organizational Development Consultant. He lives in Rangeley, Maine and has been a friend of the Trust since 1992. Brian graduated from Bowdoin College in 1966 and also holds an M.S. degree from the University of Northern Colorado. Brian is married, has three adult children and four grandsons, all living in Maine.

In addition, the Board hired a new employee when our Property Manager at Orgonon moved on to other opportunities this fall. In a cost-saving measure, we combined the Office Manager and Property Manager positions into one, which we call Director of Operations, given that we knew an outstanding individual who could do an excellent job with both, longtime Trust supporter David Silver. David's friendly voice is what you will hear now if you call our office at Orgonon.

David Silver, Director of Operations

David considers himself lucky to have stumbled upon a book by Wilhelm Reich as a teenager. Reich's oeuvre has been a guiding force in his life. He brings his lifelong study of Orgonomy and a background in technology and media to his new role as Director of Operations at Orgonon.

As year-end giving time approaches, we ask once more for your generous support in helping preserve Reich's legacy. We depend upon your support to preserve Reich's archives, to keep his books in print, to bring out new, previously unpublished manuscripts by Reich in our journal, Orgonomic Functionalism (volume 8 due out in 2020)--and most of all to maintain Orgonon and the Wilhelm Reich Museum and to continue programs there including the annual summer conference. Next year, 13-17 July 2020, the topic is Reich's Orgonomic Infant Research Center and related work on childrearing.

As always, we are grateful for those who sign up as monthly donors, which helps us have a more regular, predictable income stream. One-time gifts are also most welcome. And please consider naming the Wilhelm Reich Infant Trust as a beneficiary in Wills and other planned giving. We thank you very kindly for your support in keeping Reich's work alive and passing the torch to future generations!

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

Warmly,

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