Five concerts in six days! Kalamazoo Ringers were up for the challenge of touring the Mid-West of the United States this past summer. The first stop was just outside Indianapolis Indiana at the St. Simon Catholic Church. After the concert the Ringers were welcomed to home-stays of the church family. We left Indianapolis with new friendships and well prepared for the road trip to St. Louis, Missouri.

St. John's Lutheran Church welcomed us with open arms. The second concert in two days under our belt, we then went to a hotel for a well deserved rest. However, it is rumored that pizza and card playing was done.

Monday, the third day of tour was the group's day of rest. We started out with a tour of the Budweiser Anheuser-Bush Company. Time was spent investigating the Arch of St. Louis, its history, and the surrounding area. We then took a dinner riverboat ride on the mighty Mississippi River.

Tuesday morning we headed for Raytown Christian Church in Kansas City, Missouri. It was nice to pull in and know that we were welcomed by the sign on the church marquee. We played to a packed church and were welcomed into the church family homes. Gathering in the morning at the family house of a "moved out of state" Kalamazoo Ringer for breakfast, we all headed out to Brooklyn Iowa.

Some of the ringers were a little concerned when we hit dirt roads and seeing cornfields upon cornfields to get to the church. Topping a hill, the cornfields opened up to a beautiful brick church. The people of Brooklyn Iowa opened up their arms and homes to the ringers. The area is rich in family history and good down home cooking.

Thursday we made our way to Cedar Rapids, Iowa where the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers (AGEHR) Area VIII Conference was being held. The Kalamazoo Ringers performed the opening concert of the conference for over 800 handbell ringers.