PTGA - What is the Auxiliary?

2013 PTG Convention Activities

"An organization to give aid and support" sounds so dry and colorless compared to what we do, who we are. We first support our technicians and the Piano Technicians Guild as a whole. Also we support each other as the spouses of technicians. Finally each Auxiliary member also supports the music community, as a group and often individually.

Piano & Music Supporters
As a group, one way the Auxiliary gives aid to the music community is by giving scholarships each year to two piano students. For the past twenty-five years, we have awarded scholarships to a junior and senior level piano student. We ask the National Piano Teachers Association in the state in or near the current year's convention to choose the award winners. Part of our dues goes straight into the scholarship fund and many individuals donate even more. Much of our fund-raising activities, such as our exhibit booth sales and raffles at the convention, also are for the benefit of our scholarship winners. Generally the two scholarship winners play a concert at the convention, giving them another opportunity to play before an audience and giving us an opportunity to hear where our support is going!

Technicians Supporters
Besides giving support to our technicians individually, we as a group volunteer our time and resources as well for the PTG. At each convention, the Auxiliary often does a service project. Often we help decorate for a banquet or other special event. A few years ago, we donated money to buy new furniture for the Home Office.

Another special feature of the Auxiliary is the fact that we have many dual members – technicians who are also Auxiliary members. Many of our dual members have joined us in various activities at the convention, written articles for our page in the Journal, donated to our scholarship fund, and volunteered time to our many causes. Considering we are an organization to support technicians, this seems a miraculously cyclic relationship.

Growing & Learning
The Auxiliary offers many opportunities to learn and experience new adventures. Every year, our convention activities include fun excursions, a book discussion, and gift exchange. Every year is different as we take advantage of the varying places we visit since we switch cities each time. Even our class activities have been different every year as well. Sometimes we do a craft class, other times we take a business class together. Our council meeting during convention is a great time to learn about how the Auxiliary works – and to add your input (although we welcome questions and comments anytime!).

Our Auxiliary Exchange page in the PTG Journal highlights an aspect of life as an Auxiliary member. Each month an Auxiliary member volunteers to write an article for this page. We have had articles from piano teachers, a piano store co-owner, many piano technicians' wives, and one piano tech, who is a dual-member. Each article provides a unique perspective on the music business.

Associate
The thing I like best about being part of the PTG Auxiliary is the simple act of meeting others. Certainly the convention is an easy place for this. Some spouses have remarked to me that they don't feel extroverted enough to come to convention alone. My experience at convention has been that we all have several things in common already and that everyone is very open and friendly. We design Auxiliary activities to help people mingle easily. Convention has always felt like a group of instant friends to me. And as we see each other throughout the years, our bonds of friendship grow. We also keep in touch through an annual newsletter, as well as personal note to each member from our Friendship Committee.

We also have a new Facebook page, for those of you on the social networking site or thinking about taking the plunge. Please feel free to not only join our page, but also, "friend" me and fellow officers. This is a great way to keep in touch throughout the year. Anyone can join this group, from Auxiliary members, to technicians, to curious bystanders.

So take this as your personal invitation to join or renew your membership in the PTGA. You'll be able to associate with others like you who wish to support a piano technician and have fun doing it! Feel free to write, call, message, or email with any questions or input you have.

Dawn Purney
PTG Auxiliary President