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Chelsea Hotel Plaque

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 2:40 pm
by dick
Participate in Commemorative Plaque for Leonard’s 75th birthday.

Everyone now has an opportunity to show appreciation to Leonard, and also provide a lasting tribute to him, in conjunction with his 75th birthday. A fund raising drive is now underway to purchase a bronze plaque to hang on 23rd street in New York City at the entrance to the Hotel Chelsea.

This effort is in addition to the birthday greeting mosaic or video that is being voted on in this poll thread: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=15552

We expect most fans will participate in both birthday projects.

Wording on the plaque will be centered in appealing fonts and will read:

Leonard Cohen
Our Man
Poet, novelist, singer-songwriter
"I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel..."
Leonardcohenforum.com members commemorate his 75th birthday
September 21, 2009


The Hotel currently has plaques featuring other noted residents, among them Arthur Miller, Dylan Thomas, Thomas Wolfe, Arthur C. Clarke, Brendan Behan, and Virgil Thompson. Thousands of visitors pause and read the plaques that honor residents in this way.

This is a joint project coordinated by Jarkko and Marie, as hosts of leonardcohenforum.com, but all fans who hear of this from anywhere are welcome to join. Dick Straub has made arrangements with the hotel, and has enlisted the support of Leonard’s sister, Esther.

To participate, please send $10.00 (USA) via PayPal or check to Dick Straub. His PayPal account is rstraub@att.net Leonard will receive a listing of all donors, and any excess funds collected will be forwarded in Leonard’s name to a charity of his choice.

We hope to have the plaque in place this September, but since it is a virtually permanent memento, it will have significance whenever it is mounted. Receipt of donations before September 1st will be appreciated.

Please email me to confirm that I know the exact way you wish your name to show in the donor list provided to Leonard, and if you need a mailing address for a check instead of PayPal. That will also help assure that I have received and noted your participation. Leonard and his management (Robert Kory) have indicated their approval and appreciation of this effort.

Dick

Additional requests noted below and in this edit:
Please include your home country so I can add it to the donor list.
Please check personal, instead of purchase, then click other, then proceed with $10.00 transaction.

Re: Chelsea Hotel Plaque

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 2:55 pm
by Paula
Hi Dick - great idea. What would the equivalent sterling be do you know? I don't want to under subscribe :lol:

Re: Chelsea Hotel Plaque

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 3:11 pm
by golo99
Am interested to know where this would go. I stayed at the Chelsea last year and there are so many plaques on their entrance already, it doesn't look like there's room for any more, certainly not anywhere prominent at street level. Unless one of the 'lesser' existing plaquees is going to be moved to make room for Sir Leonard.

Re: Chelsea Hotel Plaque

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 3:12 pm
by tomsakic
I really like this idea. Expect my contribution next week as soon I get home and see how to use that PayPal stuff. I just got an account. (It wasn't available to my country before.)

Re: Chelsea Hotel Plaque

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 3:13 pm
by Mabeanie1
I agree - it's a great idea.

Paula - PayPal will let you select the currency in which you make your payment, so you make a payment of $10 then PayPal will charge your credit card the appropriate amount in sterling.

One other point on PayPal that I've learnt by experience. If you can, select payment to a friend when you're sending the payment. That way, PayPal should pay the full amount in to the fund rather than deducting charges on the assumption that the money is for goods or services.

Hope that helps.

Wendy

Re: Chelsea Hotel Plaque

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 4:31 pm
by Paula
Thanks Wendy that does help.

It also helps the information about specifying a friend I have an ebay account and if I ever use Paypal when I sell things they take a chunk out of your money so I will watch that thanks.

Re: Chelsea Hotel Plaque

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 9:24 pm
by da2008
What a brilliant idea - I will definitely participate.

Re: Chelsea Hotel Plaque

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 10:38 pm
by martali
It's really a superb idea. :D
I'll participate with a great pleasure.

Marta

Re: Chelsea Hotel Plaque

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 11:55 pm
by Mollydog
This is a wonderful idea! I definitely want to participate.

Mary

Re: Chelsea Hotel Plaque

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 12:03 am
by dick
Thanks for the kind words... and congrats go to Demetris -- his was the first payment to come through!

Thanks an keep them coming. :-)

I am still negotiating locations with Chelsea -- there are actually two street level possibilites available,

Dick

Re: Chelsea Hotel Plaque

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 12:09 am
by jarkko
May I suggest that you also let Dick know your home country - I'm sure it will be of interest for Leonard to see where the members are from!

Re: Chelsea Hotel Plaque

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 12:15 am
by John K.
I think this is a magnificent idea, my thanks to Dick for the organization! My contribution will be forthcoming.

Of course this will now become even more of a mecca for Cohen fans when they visit NYC, so a street-level publicly accessible location will be most desireable!

Re: Chelsea Hotel Plaque

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 12:28 am
by lizzytysh
INCREDIBLE idea and SO appropriate!!! Thanks to all the great minds... or the two great minds... who conceived of it. I'll send my money after July 1 :D . Just excellent!


~ Lizzy

Re: Chelsea Hotel Plaque

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 12:36 am
by dick
I like Jarkko's idea of displaying donor's country, so please include that information with your payment.

Once you enter my address on the Send Money form, you have a choice of Puchase or Personal. Please do select personal, check other, and then continue with the transaction.

Re: Chelsea Hotel Plaque

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 1:08 am
by da2008
Done for myself and my wife! Thank you for doing this!!