By Susan Shinn
Salisbury Post
Presenting the Trinity Singers and Ringers!
This group of residents from Trinity Oaks Retirement Community is off and running. They made their big debut on Dec. 11 at First United Methodist Church, entertaining the senior group there.
The choir is comprised of more than two dozen residents; the hand chime choir has 10 members.
Margaret Sloop, 85, and Catherine Mueller, 91, only play chimes; everyone else in their ensemble does double duty.
“I did take piano,” Margaret said. “But, you know, we’re just having more fun.”
Still, she admitted to be a little apprehensive about the inaugural performance.
“I prayed last night I wouldn’t come in too soon,” she says.
Catherine took music for six years, she said. “My dad said I had no talent, and he was right.”
She proved her dad wrong.
“When you get old,” she said, “you have to do what you can.”
Harriet Bolstad, 96, had never sung in a choir before, but decided it was time.
The Trinity Ringers are directed by Karl Kinard, while Rosemary Kinard directs the Trinity Singers.
The program is an outreach ministry of St. John’s Lutheran Church. Rob Durocher, the church’s minister of music, serves as the choir’s accompanist.
The Kinards were approached by Karen Leonard, Trinity Oaks director of wellness and activities, about starting a group once Rosemary began her phased retirement from Catawba College.
“Karen is a long-range thinker,” Rosemary said. “She plans way ahead.”
When the Kinards and Rob discussed the idea, “it occured to us that it was a perfect outreach,” Rosemary said.
“I love working with every age group,” she said, “but as I get older, this is a good ministry for me.”
The Singers and Ringers practice on Thursday mornings.
“It’s a very low-key, low-stress kind of thing,” Rosemary said. “I try to make it fun for them.”
The choir presented a mix of sacred and secular music at First Methodist.
“Look like you’re having a good time, because you are!” Rosemary told them ahead of time.
Looking sharp in white tops and black pants, members took turns introducing selections.
Ron Molrine, 76, introduced “The Gift of Love.” His wife, Char, 72, is also in the choir.
“We’re the teenagers of the group,” Char joked later. “We bring the average age down.”
Hope Davis introduced “Dona Nobis Pacem.”
Chaplain Darrell Norris, also a member of the choir, read “The Night Before Christmas” before a medley of holiday tunes.
The Singers also performed “Ride On, King Jesus” and “Old Sue’s Panda,” a take-off on “Oh, Susannah!”
The Ringers followed with “Jacob’s Ladder,” a medley of “Joy to the World and “Westminster Chimes,” finishing up with “Jingle Bells.”
Resident Catherine Hall, 92, invited the group to perform at her church.
“Music is my life,” said Catherine, a member of First Methodist’s Celebration Choir. “If there’s going to be music around, that’s where I’m going to be.
“I think it’s great that Trinity Oaks can be a part of the community. You can enjoy life no matter what your age.”
The seniors also performed Dec. 21 at Salisbury Academy.
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If you’re interested in having the Trinity Singers and Ringers perform for your group, call Karen Leonard at 704-633-1002 or Rosemary Kinard at 704-637-7584.
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Contact Susan Shinn at 704-797-4289 or sshinn@salisburypost.com.