Day 8 Mall of America and New Ulm, MN

On Saturday, June 16 we traveled from Burnsville to New Ulm with a side trip to the Mall of America. The ringers got to spend 3 hours in the mall, which is 4 stories tall with an amusement park in the middle of it. Then we went to New Ulm, which is where Matt Wieben’s family comes from.  We arrived in New Ulm in time to visit the Hermann Monument and the Glockenspiel in downtown New Ulm. That night we played a concert at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in New Ulm. Brenda Barta, a WBR alumnus, came to the concert along with Tom and Sally Loken, former bell ringer parents.  Matt's dad Ralph, brother Luke (a WBR alum) and dog came from Salt Lake to hear the concert and visit with family. The chaperones were treated to yummy walleye fish from Tracy,  Matt's aunt.

Thoughts from the ringers...

We went to the Mall of America yesterday where I met up with some old friends who live in Minnesota on a Youth Works mission trip. It had been about four years since the last time I had seen them so it was a great experience.

                The best decision I ever made was joining the choir. Being a member of the Bell choir for the past 5 years has been very rewarding in many ways. I’ve traveled to most of the states in the US, been out of the country, learned a sense of leadership and teamwork, and met some of the best friends I have and will ever have. It’s going to be different not being in the choir, and I’ll miss it more than I can explain, but this choir has taught me lessons and morals that I can take with me when I go. I’ll miss playing with my friends in later years, but I’ll be there watching them as they keep going.
 –  Mike

The Mall of America’s huge!  And then we went to New Ulm.  Pretty town and there was a giant carillon glockenspiel thingy.  We heard that play and then we went to the church, which was really cool!  The concert was great too!  The host was awesome, though his cat loved to attack my toes…I walked into the kitchen and the first thing the kitty did was fly at my foot and grab the toe, flipping over my foot and then just flopping there.  But then it kept at it, and I told the kitten, “Stop attacking my piggies!” –Tristan