X-Message-Number: 2367 Date: 30 Jul 93 09:45:05 EDT From: Brenda Peters <> Subject: CRYONICS: Brenda's cover letter July 24, 1993 Dear Alcor Member, My name is Brenda Peters. If you don't already know me, I've been an active Alcor member since 1983 and have participated in many cryonic suspensions, as well as all of the Cryovita/Alcor hypothermia research of the mid and late '80s, numerous fundraising campaigns for Alcor, membership recruitment for Alcor, the formation of three new local chapters, and the development of other local groups. In addition, I have been a member of the Alcor Board of Directors for eight years. I am thrilled to inform you of an exciting new possibility which, I believe, could accelerate Alcor's progress dramatically. As you probably know, Alcor has been in need of a new facility for a couple of years now. Our current facility is too small, too plain, and too close to the San Andreas fault for comfort. Additionally, because we are not in compliance with local Planning Commission regulations, (which you will receive details on soon) we are now in a situation where a move is imperative. Early in 1992, Alcor attempted to raise enough money to purchase a $400,000.00 building in Scottsdale, Arizona, but was unsuccessful. As you can see in Ralph's letter, Alcor has now optioned a building for $780,000.00 and is discussing methods to raise enough money to purchase it. The good news I have is an extraordinary new opportunity for a specially designed cryonics building that may prove to be easily affordable for Alcor and a dream come true, as well. Enclosed is a letter to you from our fellow members, the Comos family of Mallorca, Spain. They have spent a great deal of time in Southern California in the last few years. They even bought a home there so that part of each year could be spent near Alcor. The Comos' are in the process of creating a beautiful, new building (also in Scottsdale), which will be the first cryonics facility ever designed specifically for this purpose. The Comos family has already purchased a block of land in Scottsdale for more than $100,000.00 and are in the process of developing the new building. As you will see in their enclosed letter to you, they very much want their building to become Alcor's new home. Some of the major advantages of a co-operative venture with the Comos family are listed below. 1. If Alcor occupies the new Comos cryonics facility, Alcor members could do so without a large down payment or mortgage because the Comos family is prepared to cover most of the expense of creating Alcor's new home. 2. The Comos building opens up two additional options to Alcor. Should the Acoma Street building not be purchased, Alcor could make some or all of the required changes to prepare the Riverside facility for being sold and stay where we are until the Comos facility is complete (perhaps 18 months) or we could rent space in the Scottsdale area until then. If either of these options is pursued, then Alcor members could avoid situations like becoming a landlord to businesses unrelated to cryonics, (such as a beer distributor, which occupies space in the building recently optioned). 3. The Comos building can be constructed in such a way as to insure the highest degree of patient safety ever achieved by being virtually disaster and intruder proof. 4. The Comos' facility would offer the opportunity of an underground "cold room" and other revolutionary ideas in development which may be impossible in an already existing building. 5. Most of Alcor's efforts to date will not have been wasted because the preliminary work being done in Scottsdale, with local authorities and governmental regulatory agencies, will apply to the Comos building. 6. By working with the Comos family, Alcor will have the opportunity of residing in a building designed to function as a first-rate cryonics facility which, at the same time, will serve as a show-piece that will appropriately reflect the goals of cryonics. As the Comos family put it in a recent letter to me, "we intend to create a truly beautiful building capable of being featured on every magazine cover in the world." 7. Other advantages such as being near the Mayo Clinic, University of Arizona, Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, Scottsdale Airport, a local liquid nitrogen distributor, and all the medical/scientific research organizations in the area apply to the Comos building. Also it would put Alcor near Dr. Nancy McEachern, D.V.M. which could facilitate research and training and lower the cost of suspensions. In short, by collaborating with a successful family of Alcor Members, we could save a tremendous amount of money, offer state of the art security for our patients, and be able to expand and flourish in a building designed for the unique needs of cryonics. As the Comos family explains in their letter to you, this building will be dedicated to their daughter. It was a heart wrenching tragedy that one so lovely, so young and vibrant as Christina Comos needed to be suspended. Her's was one of the most dramatic rescues in cryonics history and was a direct result of the courage, resourcefulness and dedication which the Comos family displayed in the face of nearly impossible odds. But since the Comos family is an internationally successful, hardworking, and determined group of cryonics enthusiasts, it isn't surprising that they prevailed. I will be flying to Mallorca at the end of July. The Board has unanimously voted me Alcor's Official Representative to meet with the Comos family in order to explore the details of a collaboration with them in the development of an impressive new home for Alcor. I will continue close communication with the Board and the Comos family in the interim, to iron out as many specifics as possible prior to my trip. On my trip to Mallorca, I will be accompanied by my husband, Courtney Smith (also an Alcor member), who is President and CEO of a major investment firm in Chicago, as well as by Professor Stephen Valentine, (another Alcor member in the process of signing up) who is a world-class architect. Stephen has worked on many prestigious projects including, most recently, (as a senior architect of the world renowned firm of I.M. Pei) the highly acclaimed U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. (Please see the enclosed U.S. postal card showing the Holocaust Museum.) Of special concern to Stephen and the Comos family is the security of our patients. Stephen is very interested in designing the new building in Scottsdale and will be presenting his ideas to the Comos family in Mallorca, and discussing the possibility of becoming the architect for this project. I look forward to sending you a full report of my talks with the Comos family upon my return. The prospect of an architect of Stephen Valentine's ability and reputation designing Alcor's new home adds even more excitement to a project that holds enormous promise for Alcor's future. I'm looking forward with great anticipation to my trip to Mallorca, and then to reporting the results at the next Alcor Board meeting. I have requested guidelines and opinions from the Board, to better aid me in my meetings with the Comos family. My plan is to return with a specific proposal for the Alcor Board to consider. If you have questions or suggestions, please call me at (312)587-7050, or FAX:(312)587-7052, or write to Huron Plaza, 30 E. Huron, Suite 4709 Chicago, IL 60611, or send E-mail to Compuserve 72727,560. Forever, Brenda Peters Alcor Director P.S. I would appreciate it if you would take a moment to sign the enclosed pre-paid U.S. postal card and send it back as soon as possible. Your opinion matters to me. Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=2367