Ringing in the holidays

Bonnie Johnson, Deb Brewer and Laurel Woods intently follow the notes on their music sheets to be ready to ring their bells at the right time. All three are new members of the Seeley-Swan Mountain Belles this year. Woods said she found out about the group at the 2017 bell event when her husband happened to be picking up pizza at the Double Arrow restaurant. He made a quick call telling Laurel to come to the lodge and listen. Laurel played flute in high school and college and decided to join the Mountain Belles. She said, "It's a lot of fun."

Seeley Lake resident Erika Wilson was a special guest performer at the concert. She played a cello accompaniment to "Fairest Lord Jesus." The bell/cello piece was arranged by another Seeley Lake resident Bev Evans who is the middle bell ringer in this photo. To Bev's left is Shauna Anders. To her right is Laurel Deniger.

Wallenburn said there are about 14 different ways to ring a handbell. Several were incorporated into the concert. In this photo, Glen Stocking, who plays the largest, lowest tone bells, has handy the yellow-tipped mallets he sometimes used to pong his bells, two hand chimes and a singing bell stick which produces an effect similar to rubbing the rim of a crystal goblet.

One bell became detached from its handle during the concert. As she made the necessary repairs, Director Joann Wallenburg explained to the audience that each bronze casting (i.e., the bell itself) is tuned to a specific note. Every foundry manufactures its bell to the same specific tone for the bell size. Wallenburn said, "So when we bring multiple choirs together, regardless of who they bought their bell from, they are all in tune with all the others."