President's Message - Reprinted from the Summer/Fall 2009 Merry-Go-Roundup

To Everything There Is a Season

By Bette Largent

This double issue features some of the challenges presented to a carousel project that someday may be considered one of the most successful of this century. Many of our membership will enjoy their first ride on the Woodside Park Dentzel Carousel at the NCA convention in September. Others located closer to Philadelphia and those who were part of the project celebrated the ribbon cutting and enjoyed the first rides last October.

Many of you will know of at least some of the ups and downs getting to this place at this point in time. This issue is designed to tell the broad story both for those who are new to its history and for those who have watched the progress, or lack of it, over the years.

Perhaps you will feel as I do, that often things are delayed or even must experience false starts because there is a greater purpose or a better time for them to happen. In the years of struggle to save this carousel, new materials were developed, and significant skill and experience gained by those involved in this carousel's restoration, resulting in it finally being the right time and the right place for the best of outcomes.

We have also read the "official" news release of New York Governor David A. Petterson's announcement that Jane's Carousel (PTC #61) will be placed in the park below the Brooklyn Bridge in the DUMBO district of Brooklyn. Again, it is a story of not giving up, reflecting the tireless endeavors of Jane Walentas and her husband David to place a beautifully restored carousel in a well-designed building for all children to enjoy. The Walentas are gifting both the building and the carousel to the city! Perseverance and a strong vision of the ultimate goal have taken these two carousels down long, but separate paths. They show that anything is achievable.

There are other carousel projects out there that are continuing to experience their own challenges. I hope their supporters will gain inspiration from this issue and continue with their quest, "to dream the impossible dream"¹ where ever it may lead them. Many of our most entertaining and successful carousel projects have gone through their own crusades to completion; fighting for funding, or permits, or volunteers, or new homes, or dealing with unforeseen disasters - and yes, the frustrating knowledge for some of them that success may not happen in a lifetime.

Vision, perseverance, and patience may be the keys. One would hope that we all possess these qualities - and know to take it one step at a time. We certainly have seen these qualities exhibited time and time again throughout the history of the NCA.

Perhaps the inspiration of the successes to tackle all obstacles and continue to the ultimate goal is the lasting legacy of our NCA founders and particularly of Frederick Fried. I'm sure many will feel the aura of Fred as we clamber aboard the Please Touch Museum's Dentzel and share his gleeful grab for the brass ring with all the rest of us. We must truly celebrate the success of this project. As I take my first ride, I personally plan on humming my own tribute to Fred and all who have worked on the saving of this carousel through the years including the Dream of a Team that took it to final completion.

I've already picked my song, "To everything (turn, turn, turn) there is a season (turn, turn, turn) and a time for every purpose, under heaven!"²

¹ Joe Darian (lyrics) and Mitch Leigh (music):
   "The Impossible Dream"¨ Man of La Mancha, 1965.
² Pete Seeger (music and additional words):
   "Turn, Turn, Turn,"
   1954; adapted from the book of Ecclesiastes, King James Version.
³ Press Release, State of New York Executive Chamber:
   "Governor Paterson Announces Major Step for Brooklyn Bridge Park,"
   20 June 2009.