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Volume 19 • Issue 3 • Summer 2025
Notes from the Chair
Happy Summer!
This past week, we had our Area 11 Ringers Camp in Granby, Colorado. I want to give a huge shout out to our Camp Chair, Anne Kleve for organizing this amazing event! As you’ll see later on in this newsletter, our ringers had a fantastic time enjoying nature, taking workshops, and making beautiful music with Sandra and Mitchell Eithun. Area 11 is very thankful for our two wonderful clinicians for their repertoire, time, and talents. Thank you also to all who attended and supported this special Area 11 tradition.
Giving back to our musicians is at the heart of everything our board and organization strives to do. Our board has been working hard to plan for our wonderful year ahead! Our Fall Tune Up Registration will be opening up sometime in July. We have host locations being added to our website every day. If you’re interested in hosting, please reach out to our wonderful Desert and Mountain Sub-Area Chairs so they can add your name and location to our list. All teaching materials are provided. You just have to coordinate equipment, offer a space, and find someone (or yourself) to teach. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with members around the state, encourage participation amongst your congregation, or give your students an opportunity to learn something new! This is also a great opportunity for experienced ringers to share their knowledge and make a special connection with beginning ringers. We’ve made some great strides to connect with new ringers this Spring and we would love to keep the momentum going! If you’re interested in participating or hosting, reach out to our Sub-Area Chairs or check out our website for more information.
Much like academia, summer marks the end of a chapter for one of our board members. Our Chair Elect, Lynne Storms has decided to resign from her positions and share her talents elsewhere. On behalf of the entire Area 11 Board of Directors, we want to thank Lynne for her contributions to our area. Our Nominating Committee is currently in the process of working to find a new Chair Elect. A special election will be sent out via email once we receive our two nominees. Please keep an eye on your email for the next two months so you don’t miss this important election.
Pinnacle 2025 will be here before we know it! If you’re attending, make sure you stop by the Area 11 booth so we can connect! Shoutout to Anne Kelley, Nikki Evans, Matthew Compton, Sharon Schmidt, Libbie Randels, Pikes Peak Ringers, and the Forte Handbell Quartet for representing Area 11 in classes and performances.
Our board is in the process of preparing for our annual board meeting in September. If you have any questions, suggestions, input, or ideas, feel free to email me at: [email protected].
See you soon at Pinnacle, Fall Tune Up, and around all the bells!
Love and Bells,
Anne Kelley
Upcoming Events
Fall Tune-Up 2025
Fall Tune-Up is a great way to get back into the swing of bells.
This is an educational event for ringers of all levels, from brand to very experience, “tune-up” their skills. Directors area also welcome to come learn tips and tricks to assist their ringers. Instruction will vary based on location. Stay tuned to the events page on our website for updates on locations and registration.
Dates:
Saturday, September 13th for Arizona. Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming
Saturday, September 20th for Utah
Time:
9:00 am – Noon
Fall Tune-Up Locations
Please check our website for information about your state!
If you’re interested in hosting, please reach out to our wonderful Desert and Mountain Sub-Area Chairs so they can add your name and location to our list. All teaching materials are provided. You just have to coordinate equipment, offer a space, and find someone (or yourself) to teach. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with members around the state, encourage participation amongst your congregation, or give your students an opportunity to learn something new! This is also a great opportunity for experienced ringers to share their knowledge and make a special connection with beginning ringers.
Save the Date – Festival 2026!!
June 11-14, 2026 in Loveland, CO
We are excited to announce our Ringing Up 2026 Festival with clinician Dave Harris!
Registration coming soon
Bulletin Board
ISO: Director for Community Handbell Director - Denver, CO
ISO: Director for Church Ensemble in Salt Lake City, UT
ISO: Ringers at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Sandy, UT
Looking forward to ringing in 2025 with you!
Kate
ISO Director: Church at Litchfield Park - AZ
The Church at Litchfield Park is seeking a handbell director starting this fall. Our historic church is located in a beautiful suburb, west of Phoenix. Rehearsals are once per week and we play during worship once a month, plus Christmas Eve. We have a five octave set of handbells, plus chimes. If interested, contact the church at 624-935-3411 or by email at [email protected].
Wyoming Spring Ring
Ringer’s Camp 2025
Camp 2025 was held June 8-12 at YMCA Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby, CO. The event was a wonderful success with 25 advanced ringers from all over Area 11 plus Kansas, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Clinicians- Sandra Eithun and Mitchell Eithun led us in mass rehearsals as well as six educational workshops including “More with Less”, “Revisiting Techniques”, “This…. Is…. Jeopardy”, and “Handbell Charades”. We also enjoyed downtime with the exhilarating summer tubing hill, traditional waterfall hike, and campfire with smores!
Ringers Camp 2025
Crazy Hat Day Group
Working with Mitchell
Tubing Hill
Summer Tubing Hill
This Is Jeopardy
Silly Sock Day
Rehearsal
Lego Sandy
Lego Mitchell
Hike to the Waterfall
Group Hike
Crazy Hat Day
Charades
Charades 2
Camp rehearsal
Waterfall Picture
Board Member Spotlight
Mountain Sub-Area Chair
Andrew was born in Goa, India but after 5 months, he decided he didn’t like the food and promptly moved to Sandy, Utah. Okay, he was adopted and moved to Utah where he grew up. His Mom made him take piano lessons when he was in 3rd grade. He then took up percussion in 7th grade and started playing handbells after high school at Hilltop United Methodist Church, and in 2011, became the director of the adult choir. He played in the percussion ensemble and marching band at the University of Utah. He’s played at Distinctly Bronze, Area 11 festivals, and the Great Christmas Ring at Epcot, and is the current Utah Spring Ring Chair. He works full time as a Paramedic to sustain his music hobbies. He currently resides in Herriman, where he lives with his dog, Austin, a German shepherd that’s NOT spoiled at all.
CHIME Loan Program
Thanks to the response regarding homes for our chime sets, the following groups will be enjoying chimes for the 2025-26 season:
- Heritage Elementary School in Centennial, CO
- Verde Valley Ringers and Running River Charter School in Sedona, AZ
- United Methodist Church in Casa Grande, AZ
- St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in Aurora, CO
- Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic STEM School in Wheat Ridge, CO
Please be aware that chime sets are still looking for homes in New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona for the upcoming season. If you are interested, please complete the Area 11 C.H.I.M.E. Loan application at CHIME Loan application.
Joyfully Ring!
News from National
Pinnacle places its primary emphasis on the performance elements of handbell artistry. The event also focuses on the organization and maintenance of various types of ensembles. While Pinnacle may have had its beginnings as an event designed primarily for Community Ensembles, it is important to know that Pinnacle 2025 is for all people who perform with handbells – ringers, directors, church groups, professional ensembles, community groups, soloists, school groups, and more. Hear ten musician showcases by ensembles from the United States and abroad, attend nine classes over three days, visit handbell and musical businesses in Handbell Commons, attend a lunch banquet with award presentations, and spend time with fellow handbell musicians.
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