Annual picnic at Lake Hopatcong, hosted byBob and Cathy Martin.

Come for a day of relaxation. Everyone is invited to bring a dish to share. Hamburgers and hot dogs will be on the grill. Find a spot in the shade or sun, whichever you prefer, and enjoy sitting near the water and spending time with the Garden State group. For those who like to go indoors, a Hammond RT2 and a grand piano may be enjoyed in the music room.

Reservations required; $10 per person plus, Please call the Martins @ 973-256-5480 and leave a message on their machine indicating who is attending and the food item you are bringing to share, if any, or e-mail the information to cathymartin2424@gmail.com. Make your check payable to GSTOS and mail to the Martins at 225 South New Jersey Avenue, Lake Hopatcong, NJ 07849 by June 14, 2023

Bio of Ed Alstrom: Ed’s organ concerts have been called “The Mighty Organ” for good reason.  He plays a romping-stomping-to-soulful brand of music and he gets all kinds of engaging sounds out of the organ.  He calls himself a throwback to an earlier era: the 1940s – 1960s and he loves to go back and get the old sounds, sounds people love to hear but sounds few people get to hear now. His concert repertoire includes classical, classical sacred, soul music, classic rock, jazz and great American standards.

When he is not playing theatre or church music, Ed can be found playing the Hammond at YANKEE STADIUM. From the time Ed was 9 years old and his father took him to his first Yankee game, Ed heard that organ at the Stadium and said, “I want to do THAT”. He never dreamed he would actually get to do it!! He has now been entertaining fans at the stadium since 2004.

This is a free concert provided by GSTOS featuring Dave Wickerham. This is a member’s only concert that requires Reservations.

Dave Wickerham was born in Encino, California in 1962. He began playing the electronic organ at the age of four and had his first pipe organ experience at age ten. His musical education started at age seven. When he moved to Arizona in 1976, he became Associate Organist at the famous Organ Stop Pizza Restaurants in Phoenix, Mesa and Tucson. While in Arizona, he continued his musical studies with Roseamond Crowley, one of the few remaining descendants of the Louis Vierne line of organists. He attended the University of Arizona in Tucson on a full scholarship, pursuing classical organ studies for six years with Dr. Roy Johnson. In 1984, Dave moved to the Chicago area to become Staff Organist at Pipes and Pizza in Lansing, Illinois. In addition to his performance there, he concertized frequently, as well as ministering musically and serving at various churches. August of 1990 found the Wickerham family – Dave, his wife and two young children – moving to Wisconsin, where he was one of the featured Staff Organists at the Piper Music Palace in Greenfield, a position he held for 10 years. In the spring of 2000, Dave ushered in the new millennium with a limited special engagement, as a featured organist at “Roxy’s Pipe Organ Pizzeria,” part of a $26,000,000 expansion phase at the FIESTA Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Wickerham’s, Dave, Rhonda, and now three great kids, spent two years there before returning back home to Wisconsin in August of 2001… For the next three years, Dave resumed his position at the Piper Music Palace and was also the Principal Organist at Williams Bay Lutheran Church in Lake Geneva, WI.   He enjoys concertizing frequently to many audiences including various chapters of the American Theatre Organ Society. In April of 1999, he took great pleasure being a feature artist in Melbourne, Australia for the convention of the Theatre Organ Society of Australia for which he received rave reviews. He returned “Down Under” for a six-week concert tour in Australia and New Zealand during the summer of 2003 and 2012, as well as October/November of 2015. Dave also enjoys recording and has recently “sold out” his fourth CD “Sounds of Music” recorded on the famous 5 Manual, 80 Rank Theatre Organ at the Sanfilippo Residence in Barrington, IL. There are NEW recording projects that are soon to be completed and released as well as additional video concerts.  After seven years as Organist – Curator with the legendary Milhous Collection in South Florida, Dave and his youngest daughter currently enjoy living in Upper Michigan in the historic town of Crystal Falls. Dave has three grown kids, two married with children of their own. So, with six grandchildren and concertizing, there are many opportunities for travel.

The performance will be followed by open console and refreshments.

This event is for Members Only. Reservations are required. A 50 person maximum will apply, so make your reservations today! To reserve your spot, please let Lee know at leehulko@aol.com or 215-297-8064 as early as possible.

There is no fee for this event. Refreshments will be provided. No need to bring anything; we will not be doing pot luck this year. Lee and Brad, our gracious hosts, just want everyone to come and enjoy.