Photo by George Yonnone
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Meet the Westminster Ringers
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Louise Borneman - Louise started ringing handbells in January of 1995 with her church’s handbell choir. She currently directs the Brethren Ringers at the Westminster COB. Louise is a retired elementary school teacher who now has time for her new hobbies of knitting and quilting . In addition to ringing, Louise also enjoys playing piano, hiking, rail-to-trail biking and camping. Louise is a charter member of the Westminster Ringers and has served on the Board of Directors.. |
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Kyler Brengle - Kyler has recently retired from a 32-year career with Carroll County Public Schools working in various positions ranging from high school band director to the district's Career Development Coordinator. He has played in church handbell choirs since his high school years in Middletown, Maryland. In addition to handbells, he enjoys arranging music and photography. Kyler serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for the Westminster Ringers. |
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Peggy Brengle - Peggy began playing handbells in 1977 while organist at St. John’s United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. Upon returning to her native Carroll County, Peggy and husband Kyler started the handbell choir at Calvary United Methodist Church in Mt. Airy. Peggy currently plays with the Wesley Carillon at Westminster United Methodist Church. She performs as an accompanist for local and guest artists and in four-hand piano concerts with Don Horneff. Visit their website at www.4handpiano.com
Peggy is a retired music teacher and media specialist from Carroll County Public Schools. |
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Amy Butler -Amy began ringing in the sixth grade and hasn’t stopped since. She learned to ring at Milford Mill UMC (Pikesville, MD) where her mother is the Director of Handbell Choirs. Amy also rings with Joyful Noise! at Milford Mill. Amy graduated from St. Mary’s College of Maryland in 2004 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology, and is currently working as the Director of Member Services at the Dancel Family Center YMCA in Ellicott City. Amy is also a huge Baltimore Ravens fan! |
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Christine Eigel –Born and raised in Hillsboro, OH, Christine began her handbell ringing skills in first grade at Hillsboro UMC. She continued to develop her skills at the UMC in Berea, where she performed in the bell choirs, in handbell solos and served as an intern with the director. After graduating from the Conservatory of Music at Baldwin-Wallace College, where she majored in music education, she accepted an instrumental teaching position at parochial elementary and middle schools throughout Baltimore. On Sunday, she can sometimes be found assisting with worship leadership using her piano, vocal and clarinet skills at Horizon Church. Christine serves on the Board of Directors for the Westminster Ringers, Inc. |
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Linda Franklin - Linda began ringing handbells in the mid-1970's with the Graceham Moravian Handbell Choir, with whom she once again plays. A graduate of Western Maryland (now McDaniel) College and Duke University, her career as a marine biologist has led her around the world and back home to Maryland. Linda serves as Publicity Director and Vice-Chair of the Westminster Ringers Board of Directors. In her spare time, she is busy restoring her mid-19th century family home, gardening, and working the kinks out with yoga. |
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Debbie Henning - Debbie has been involved with handbells for over 35 years as both a ringer and a director. She currently directs the Homespun Ringers - a home school bell ensemble in Westminster, and is the Director of Music at Gettysburg UMC in Gettysburg, PA where she directs the Chancel Choir, Praise Band, and two handbell choirs. In addition to teaching private piano lessons, Debbie loves to quilt, sew and cross stitch. Debbie has served AGEHR Area III as Maryland State Chair, Treasurer, Program Chair for the Spring Festivals and currently serves as Event Coordinator. Debbie serves as Treasurer and Educational Director for the Westminster Ringers, Inc. Debbie and her husband, Larry are the founding members of the Westminster Ringers, Inc. |
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Sheena R. Hunter – Sheena began ringing bells 14 years ago. She joined the Westminster Ringers, Inc. at its inception twelve years ago. She moved to the low bass bells after the first season and no one since has been able to pry them out of her hands. When Sheena is not ringing bells, she is a dog trainer for Petco. In the little time she has left, she spends competing at canine frisbee events with one of her dogs, and playing soccer. |
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Betty Kerwin - Betty is employed in the publishing profession as a Prepress Ad Coordinator for Hanley-Wood in Washington, DC. She was in the church choirs growing up at St Paul's Lutheran Church, Fulton, MD. After handbells were given as a gift circa1989, she was appointed director because she "knew music". Her career as a bell director and bell ringer began at the same time. She currently directs a 3-octave choir, St. Paul’s Lutheran Bells, and is a charter member of the Westminster Ringers and has served on the Board of Directors. |
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Allen Kessell – Allen began ringing handbells in 1997 with the choir at Grace United Methodist Church in Baltimore, MD, where he is still an active member. He is a graduate of Towson University, receiving both his Bachelors and Masters degrees in music education. New to the Westminster area, Allen is the instrumental music teacher at Northwest Middle School here in Carroll County and also teaches the marching percussion section at Liberty High School. Besides teaching, he is also a professional percussionist in the Baltimore area. This is Allen’s first semester with The Westminster Ringers and he is very thankful for the opportunity to perform with such gifted musicians. |
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Bill Pond -Residing in Westminster since the age of 2, Bill has been ringing bells with the Westminster UMC for 28 years, and the Westminster Ringers for two years. An art teacher at the Maryland School for the Deaf (30th year), grandfather of three, he still finds time for drawing, drama, sign language interpreting, fifing with the 2nd MD Fife and Drums, and swimming. |
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Linwood Row - Linwood’s earliest encounter with handbells was in the 1950s on one of the first sets imported to the U.S. He has since directed ensembles at Westminster UMC and McDaniel College (formerly Western Maryland College). Linwood played with the Westmoreland Symphony (Greensburg, PA) as a part-time clarinetist. He recently retired from full-time employment as a computer analyst/programmer at Montgomery College. Linwood is a charter member of the Westminster Ringers, Inc. and a member of the Board of Directors. |
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Laura Swafford - Laura began ringing handbells in 1991 when her youth choir director dragged her (literally) into practice one day, and she found to her surprise that she actually liked it. A native of Nashville, Tennessee, she recently moved to Baltimore to take a position as a chemist with BAE Systems, Inc. In addition to ringing and playing piano, Laura enjoys composing music, martial arts, and anything having to do with water. |
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Jacquie White - Jacquie began ringing with the St. Francis of Assisi Handbell Choir (Fulton, MD) in 2003, when she took over for a member who moved. She has very happily played bass bells since then. When not tending to her family of four children (including Westminster Ringer Sarah) Jacquie is the assistant vocal director of the Assisi Youth Ministry musicians and a cantor at St. Francis of Assisi. Oh, yeah; she also works full-time as a Business Process Analyst for the Office of Thrift Supervision. |
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Sarah White - Sarah began ringing with her church choir four years ago and has been enjoying it ever since. Sarah works as a central receptionist for an office building and enjoys reading, playing flute, singing and of course, movies! She volunteer teaches religious education at her church and helps out with the high school youth program as well as the Assisi Youth Ministry Musicians. |
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Linda Wolfe - Lin began ringing with her church’s bell choir upon its inception back in 1992. She is a Medical Technologist who is currently working as a Technical Systems Specialist for Becton Dickinson in Sparks, MD. Lin resides in Stewartstown, PA with her husband and their four children. In her spare time, she is a biker chick and cat herder (three of the kids are teenagers). |
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Jeff Yates - This is Jeff’s first year with the Westminster Ringers. He has been ringing handbells since the 7th grade at Milford Mill UMC. Having recently received an associate’s degree in network technology, he is now working professionally doing computer and network security. |
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The following photographs were by Jen Hogue Photography:
Louise Borneman, Kyler Brengle, Christine Eigel, Debbie Henning, Betty Kerwin, Linwood Row, Linda Wolfe
The following photographs were by Kyler Brengle:
Allen Kessel, Bill Pond, Jeff Yates
The following photographs were by Jim Crist:
Peggy Brengle, Amy Butler, Linda Franklin, Sheena Hunter, Laura Swafford, Jacquie White, Sarah White |
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