Talk of the Town: The buck stops with paper money—you can keep the coins

Aside from the fact that the newly released coin dollar would save hundreds of millions of dollars each year in printing costs, Americans are staying loyal to the paper dollar.

Two recent efforts to promote wide usage of a dollar coin proved unsuccessful. The Susan B. Anthony dollar put the image of the women’s rights activist on a small silver coin that looked a lot like a quarter 25 years ago. The U.S. Mint was left with millions of unused coins. In 2000, another dollar coin featuring Sacagawea, the Shoeshone Indian who helped guide the Lewis and Clark expedition, piled up in bank vaults for the same reason: lack of demand.

People just seem to prefer the traditional greenback.

That didn’t stop Congress, though. Members voted to create yet another dollar coin, this time featuring another historic figure—good old George Washington, which was officially issued in time for our recent President’s Day. Later this year, other golden dollar coins with the images of John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison will go into circulation, a new one every three months.

It’s not easy overcoming people’s indifference to dollar coins, even those honoring historic figures. (The sad reality is, I bet you can ask your average man on the street to name the image on a $20 bill or a $10 bill, and he or she wouldn’t be able to tell you. Sad, indeed!)

People have strong feelings about their money, even the simple penny. A congressional effort to reduce the need for the cent piece failed even though it costs more to produce the copper-colored coin than the coin is worth.

An AP-Ipsos poll found that when 1,000 people were asked whether the penny should be eliminated, 71 percent said no.

Some fear that getting rid of the penny will cause product prices to be rounded up, perhaps increasing inflation.

More than three-fourths of the people surveyed opposed replacing the dollar bill with a coin, explaining that the paper money is lighter and takes up less space in a wallet or woman’s clutch.

In other poll findings:

53 percent said they carry their loose change collected during the day to use for future purchases

42 percent put their loose change in a jar or piggy bank each day

48 percent said they use cash for purchases under $10

28 percent said they usually use cash in such cases, but sometimes use credit or debit card

The new presidential series coins will be the 14th dollar coin series produced by the Mint going back to 1794. The public can get the Washington dollars now from commercial banks that have placed orders with the Federal Reserve, which handles coin distribution for the Mint. The Fed has ordered 300 million Washington dollars so far.

Let’s welcome Ashtora, the new Fletcher Organ Studios manager and music expert. Ashtora— yes that is her legal name with no last name attached, replaces Mary Lou Gallagher Catino, who recently married and retired from her position with Fletcher in the Continental Shopping Plaza.

Known to her local music students as “Ash,” she is no stranger to the beauty of playing organs. Living In the Green Valley since December 2006 with her dog, Iz, Ash moved from Texas where she ran a Lowrey Organ dealership for three years. She did her research before coming to Arizona and said she “lucked out” when she discovered Fletcher’s in Green Valley, just when Mary Lou was looking to retire.

As far back as she can remember, Ash said, she wanted to take piano lessons, finally starting when she was in the fifth grade. A year later she stared taking organ lessons and a year after that, in the seventh grade, became a professional organist at age 12, playing as the church organist in a town in New Mexico.

“I’ve loved music for as long as I’ve been born and by working for Fletcher I can teach and remain involved,” Ash said.

Fletcher Organ Studios just celebrated its 102nd birthday and has been an exclusive Lowrey dealership for the past 52 years.

It’s the popularity of Fletcher’s music classes that get Ash excited. At the present, Fletcher has nine classes of organ students with more than 130 people involved. Not all are organ owners, she said. Some have keyboards or pianos, but through a program at Fletcher, they have the opportunity to play an organ and try it out.

Fletcher has “quick start” classes for those who just want to jump right in and get started, and more advanced classes for those ready to perform and have fun.

Fletcher is also a very social place for music lovers and besides classes, the group celebrates birthdays, holds potlucks and concerts designed to teach its students, who are mostly senior citizens, how to play the organ and get them out and active.

You are invited to drop in and meet Ash at Fletcher Organ Studios, 230 W. Continental Plaza, in the Continental Shopping Plaza, not far from the CVS, formerly Osco. For more information, call Ash at Fletcher at 399-2648.

A group of approximately 60 friends gathered at the Cow Palace on Feb. 19 to help Tom Shultz celebrate his wife Tee’s 80th birthday. The surprise party included her son, Larry Guthrie, and his wife Cindy from Phoenix; son, Jim Guthrie, from Atlanta; daughter Brenda Guthrie Buehler who was visiting from Columbus, Texas.

Tee was born in Pearl, Ill. and grew into her teens in the small surrounding towns. Over the years, she has lived in Oceanside, Calif., Missouri, Iowa, several towns in Colorado, New Mexico and Texas. She even spent two years in Tehran, Iran, and toured several European countries.

Tom and Tee retired in 1987 while living in Houston, Texas. At that time, they bought an RV and made their home on the road traveling to every mainland state, Canada and went by caravan with friends to Mexico..

In 1995, Tom and Tee found their way to Green Valley and have enjoyed many of the activities the area has to offer. They were active for some time as members of the Green Valley Square Dance Club, dancing in several states with fellow dancers, Sam and Barbara Day.

For the last several years, they have kept themselves busy with organ lessons and functions sponsored by Fletcher Organ Studios.

“This is my home and where I want to live the rest of my life,” Tee says. “My life is so full. Each day is a joy. Tom and I have made so many wonderful friends here that II can’t imagine ever being anywhere else.”

The St. Francis-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church Spring Concert Series begins Friday, March 2, at noon at St. Francis Church, 600 S. La Canada Drive. Featured performers for this concert are violinist Marya Giesy and pianist Sharlyn Matthews who will play selections by Handel, Bach, Massenet and others. The 30-minute musical program is designed to provide a quiet interlude in the busy Green Valley spring schedule.

The concert is free and open to the public. There will be no sermon or homily, only a welcome to the musicians and the public. No offering will be asked or received, only a thank-you for the musicians who have given their time as a public service.

rford@gvnews.com | 547-9740