Columbia/Hellam/Wrightsville
townlively.com
JANUARY 25, 2023
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LXIII • NO 48
The Art Upstairs BY CATHY MOLITORIS
Bill Collister has a loud upstairs neighbor, and that’s just the way he wants it. The owner of Columbia Kettle Works has formed a partnership with Alison Liebgott, a local artist, to create Switchboard Studios, located on the second floor of the brewery at 40 N. Third St. “We are an artist collective and music event space,” Liebgott said. On any given day, there might be an art show happening, a yoga class, an open mic session or a live concert. Since opening Columbia Kettle Works in 2014, Collister had hosted music on the second floor, but the pandemic put that on hold. “I was really groping around, looking for something to do with the space,” he recalled. “I needed somebody to run the upstairs space who would be good at it. I have an interest in art and art in Columbia in particular, but running the day-today operation of the space wasn’t something I enjoyed.” He knew Liebgott mostly through Facebook, so he reached out to her in early 2022 to see if she had any interest in coming into the space.
The bell choir performs at St. John’s Herr Estate.
Ringing Out Loud At St. John’s At 82, Carolyn Livingston found herself learning something new when she joined the bell choir at St. John’s Herr Estate in Columbia, where she lives. “It’s really neat to be able to say that I did this at my age,” she said. “I like that this is something to make my brain work. It’s fun, and we all have a lot of camaraderie.” Her choirmates agreed, including 71-year-old Joni Leuck, who was particularly proud of the group’s first performance earlier this month. “I loved being able to walk out the door afterwards and
While she liked the say, ‘I just did that!’” she stated. “I was looking for idea, the reality of The St. John’s a w a y t o a d d creating the choir was Herr Estate bell choir more music to our daunting. The bells are expensive - costis made up of seven worship service.” ing thousands of dolmembers who range lars - and St. John’s in age from 71 to 88. Some had musical experience when didn’t own any. Then Klepetka they joined the group, but others learned from a resident that St. had never played an instrument and John’s Lutheran Church in Columbia had bells, so she worked could not read music. The bell choir is a project of the out a partnership with the church to Rev. Dione Klepetka, Luthercare borrow the instruments. At the end of November, the chaplain. “I was looking for a way to add more music to our worship retirement community residents service,” she said, noting that in her held their first rehearsal. Practicdecade as chaplain, residents had ing often proved difficult because inquired about starting a bell choir. they had to take the retirement
community’s bus to the church to use the bells. They also had to modify their plans to accommodate the needs of each player. Some couldn’t use both hands to play. Others couldn’t lift the heavier bells. Many of the members couldn’t even get the bells to make a sound. “There was nothing more frustrating than lifting the bell to ring it and nothing happened,” said choir member Charles Scharnberger, noting that playing the instrument is harder than it looks. Still, Klepetka and the choir persevered. “It was a steep learning curve for all of us,” said the chaplain, who serves as the choir’s director. See Bell Choir pg 4
INSIDE THIS ISSUE CEDC Presents Business Grants . . . . . . . .2 Booster Club Plans Talent Show . . . . . . . . . . .4 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Business Directory . . . . . .8 House Of Worship . . . . . . .8
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BY CATHY MOLITORIS
See Art pg 3