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WTB/receive as donation: inexpensive whistles to PIF at show

Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2018 4:37 pm
by bepoq
Dear All,

I am currently playing (primarily whistles, 16 of 'em, but also 3 flutes and the uillean pipes) in a musical called Come From Away, on Broadway (8 shows a week). I've found that there are always some young ones delighted with the whistles, who bounce up and down in the front row, or wait at the stage door afterward, and who are entirely and inordinately delighted to be handed an old whistle (mostly at the stage door, but sometimes in the front row (actually cheap seats as they're too close and in the glare of the lights) if i can manage it.

Anyway, I'm posting here, because I've run out of all my own old inexpensive whistles, (and even cheap new ones are beyond my means on an ongoing basis) and though I've bought a few folk's collections of cheap whistles here and on ebay, i'm running out of those too. So, if you've got sheafs of generations, feadogs, clarke's, oaks, walton's, roundstones etc and the like that are lying around and aren't seeing any use, and you'd like to see them handed off to young folk who've very suddenly gotten bitten by the traditional music bug before they lose their enthusiasm, please consider throwing them my way, and if you can give me a good price, I'll buy them off you. I don't care about the key (obv not low whistles). If you'd like to PIF them yourself, of course, I'll most gladly accept them. I'll put the address to send them below.

I promise that I'll not be making anything off them beyond goodwill and the extension of whistling in the world (its own reward, naturally) and that when we do shows for underserved groups i'll pay special attention to distribution.

many thanks,

Ben


Ben Power (CFA Band)
236 West 45th St.
Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre (stage door)
New York, NY 10036

Re: WTB/receive as donation: inexpensive whistles to PIF at

Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2018 5:14 pm
by whistle1000
That's a great gig Ben! And a great idea and kind gesture on your part. I'm also after giving away lots of whistles to those that show interest. I usually don't have any spares, as I've given them away :) but I'll guarantee you the next time Romano comes home to St. John's, he'll be heading back to NYC with a bunch of whistles for you. I may have to organize a"whistle drive" with him.

Re: WTB/receive as donation: inexpensive whistles to PIF at

Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2018 1:02 am
by benhall.1
I had to look up "PIF". I'm still not sure I've got the meaning right - pay it forward? (Not that I know what that means, either. :( ) Does it mean simply to donate?

Re: WTB/receive as donation: inexpensive whistles to PIF at

Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2018 1:34 am
by bepoq
Pay it forward...mmm...indeed not clear now you say it...weeell, basically yes, but I think with the nuance of gift, rather than donation--as in i'm not an organization, and i'm only handing it on to individuals--i'm thinking that i don't think of handing a whistle to someone, chatting a bit, and saying give me a shout if you need help getting going a donation as such, which strikes me as something you do to an organization rather than an individual, but i can see how one might i suppose. Anyway, I nicked the phrase from a shaving forum i sometimes go on where they often pass on razors and such to each other and friends and acquaintances to let them try them and see how they like them, and call it PIFing (I thought it was standard online parlance, but it occurs to me, now you mention it, that it might have just been on that forum, sorry)

Anyway, a donation of whistles was only the second suggestion--the main thrust was meant to be that i'd like to get my hands on a bunch of cheap whistles to give to excited kids, and i'm willing to buy them.

b

Re: WTB/receive as donation: inexpensive whistles to PIF at

Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2018 7:48 am
by Tunborough
"Pay it forward," is a recent twist on the old phrase, "pay it back," as in "return a favour for someone who did you a favour earlier." The idea is to do someone, typically a stranger, an unsolicited favour, with the intention that they would "return" it by doing an unsolicited favour to a third party, perhaps a stranger to both of you, some time in the future.

Took me awhile to unpack the PIF acronym. Not sure I've seen it before.

Re: WTB/receive as donation: inexpensive whistles to PIF at

Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2018 11:59 am
by ytliek
I took it to mean "pay it forward" too along the similarity with a "random act of kindness" whereby someone initiates an action without expectation of anything in return. Just "give it away" works for me as well.

You might inquire with the big companies, Walton's, Feadóg, Clarke, Generation, etc., to see if they have any public relations packages, or sponsorships.
USA
http://www.waltonsirishmusic.com/

Re: WTB/receive as donation: inexpensive whistles to PIF at

Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2018 11:51 pm
by bepoq
bump

Re: WTB/receive as donation: inexpensive whistles to PIF at

Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2018 5:44 am
by pancelticpiper
I'll scour through the boxes and shelves and drawers and cases and see what I can find.

If I post to the NY address you gave will they get to you?

If I do find anything I don't want anything for them, they're a gift for those kids.

Thanks for spreading the music!

Richard

Re: WTB/receive as donation: inexpensive whistles to PIF at

Posted: Mon Feb 12, 2018 1:09 am
by bepoq
thanks very much Richard, very good of you! that's right, that's the address of the theatre.
very much obliged.
cheers,
ben

Re: WTB/receive as donation: inexpensive whistles to PIF at

Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2018 9:30 pm
by LI Whistler
Awhile back Michael's craft store was carrying $1.50 Chinese tin whistles . They weren't good but would not call them bad either, compared to some samples from name brands . BUT, passing through local Michaels today they dont seem to have them anymore. Perhaps the gift stand in the theater could stock them? Or donation or discount from a company. Or a fund raiser. Depends on the volume of whistles you get request for. I see you have several volunteers donors already.

Re: WTB/receive as donation: inexpensive whistles to PIF at

Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2018 6:13 am
by kenny
Are you still lokking for whistles, Ben ?

Re: WTB/receive as donation: inexpensive whistles to PIF at

Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2018 2:28 pm
by LI Whistler
At musiciansfriend dot com they have "Waltons Little Black Tin Whistle" for $5.53 including free shipping. Still if Ben is handing these out in any quantity it still adds up. I will look thru my bin for ones I wouldn't mind giving up.