Now that the mini bell towers are in place for 2020, do you have some ideas for how to decorate the Mahanay Bell Tower? Here are a few coloring pages that can be printed. Color your own bell tower and share with us on our Facebook page – Mahanay Bell Tower with the #IHeartBigBellsJeffersonIowa. The world wants to see your ideas!
Thanks to Kevin Richards for his drawings for this project!
Tour director Pat Richards and the tower staff will be wearing face coverings and ask the public to do so as well. Disposable face coverings will be provided at the tower for visitors who may not have them already. Social distancing will also be observed in the tower atrium, in the elevator and on the Nally observation deck. Hand sanitizer will be available and tower staff will sanitize popular areas after individuals and groups of visitors complete their tours of the tower. Carole Custer, president of the board, said, “The health of both the staff and visitors is of primary importance and we hope that visitors will observe these requirements. “
Richards said she has received many calls about when the tower will open so “we are anxiously looking forward to showing off our tower and the bells this season. “
Lunchtime on Wednesdays will be one of the best times to be in Jefferson. Chews Jefferson will continue this year with a new twist on last year’s promotion. A Tower Tunes Live concert will be played each Wednesday in June and July from 12:15 – 12:30. Various local musicians have volunteered to play their choice of tunes. Rick Morain will kick off with the first concert on June 3.
With COVID-19 precautions, the organizers encourage residents and visitors to purchase take-out meals from any of the outstanding restaurants in the community. Specific restaurants will not be targeted for each week with no special meals planned.
Promotion co-chair Angie Gingery suggested, “Set a goal of a new restaurant each week as you enjoy a different concert. People can gather safely throughout the Square to enjoy their lunch and listen to the Tower Tunes Live concerts.” Suggestions are the Bell Tower Plaza, Thomas Jefferson Gardens, Sally’s Alley, or in their cars throughout the area.
The Promotion Team of Jefferson Matters: Main Street is working with the Bell Tower Community Foundation to offer these special concerts.
Watch these terrific videos of volunteers and staff members sharing info about the Mahanay Bell Tower.
Wendy Vanderlinden – Mahanay Maestro
Yvette Bardole – Mahanay Maestro
The Bell Tower Community Foundation has scheduled special Tower Tunes Live concerts for Memorial Day weekend. A variety of patriotic songs and hymns will be played by three musicians over the weekend to celebrate this important holiday.
Wendy VanderLinden will play on Saturday, May 23 from 12:15 – 12:30 p.m. Yvette Bardole will play on Sunday, May 24 from 12:15 – 12:30 p.m. Rick Morain will play on Memorial Day, May 25 from 12:15 – 12:30 p.m. with this concert offered on Facebook Live.
At this time, the Mahanay Carillon Tower is not open to the public for tours but the community can still enjoy the music of the bells. The bells continue to play each hour digitally with the Westminster Chimes at each quarter hour. The four octave carillon also plays several selections after each hour.
Other special Tower Tunes Live concerts for the summer are being planned. The Chews Jefferson concerts every Wednesday in June and July will also take place.
Please check the Mahanay Bell Tower website at www.mahanaybelltower.org or the Facebook page for info on the Tower.
The Bell Tower Foundation oversees the staffing and marketing of the Mahanay Bell Tower through the partnership with the Greene County Supervisors and City of Jefferson. Board members include Carole Custer, Peg Raney, Jean Feldmann, Nancy Gerken, Wendy VanderLinden, Don Van Gilder, Tim Christiansen, Bob Schwarzkopf, Pete Bardole and Pat Richards.
The comfort that continues is that the Mahanay Bell Tower will continue to chime every quarter hour, ring the bells at each hour, and several songs will play right after the hour. With the digital system, the bells can continue to play. Bill Monroe continues to volunteer to select songs throughout the year and many times he picks the perfect song for the situation. The bells playing can be that comfortable feeling of being at home in Jefferson. The memories of family and friends can be held dearly through a certain song being played.
We would have opened the Mahanay Bell Tower to visitors on the weekends during May but will remain closed. The Bell Tower Community Foundation Board along with the Board of Supervisors will make sure that whenever it is safe to have visitors to the Tower, it will be publicized.
So for now, enjoy the bells playing each day.
The Bell Tower Community Foundation has scheduled a special Tower Tunes Live-Community Easter Sing-Along event for Easter Sunday. Becky Greiner will play Easter hymns on Easter Sunday, April 12 at 12:15 pm on the Mahanay Carillon in downtown Jefferson. This event is not just a concert, but a community sing-along in the local homes. The hymns are a selection of familiar and beloved songs for all denominations. Step outside on your porch or driveway, or park your car and join in singing. Foundation members encourage the public to participate through the social distancing guidelines.
Because of Easter Sunday services cancelled in local churches, the Mahanay Bell Tower offers a unifying musical opportunity to worship together on Easter Sunday. The bells continue to play each hour digitally with the Westminster Chimes at each quarter hour and several selections after each hour.
The list of hymns that will be played are listed below and the public is encouraged to access the lyrics by googling each or find them in your own hymnals. A couple of verses of each hymn will be played.
Please join the community at the Tower Tunes Live – Community Easter Sing-Along on Easter Sunday.
Selections will include:
Christ, the Lord, is Risen Today
Just As I Am
How Great Thou Art
Amazing Grace
Rock of Ages
I Know that My Redeemer Lives
My Faith Looks Up to Thee
Blessed Assurance
Beautiful Savior
In light of the CDC recommendations and the safety of our staff, the Mahanay Bell Tower will not have tours available until further notice. We look forward to welcoming visitors when the time is right to offer the tours again. Please enjoy the songs and chimes of the 47 bells from the comfort of your own homes and yards.
Thank you for understanding.
The Mahanay Bell Tower may be closed for the season, but this is a great time to get your season passes for 2020. Passes are available for individuals for $15 each. Adults 19 yr. and older are the only ones who would need to pay because generous sponsors pay for those 18 and younger.
The season pass would allow the individual to enjoy the Mahanay Bell Tower as many times as they would like through the year of 2020. People who frequently take family and friends to the tower would truly benefit from these passes. At $3 admission each time, it would only be 5 trips for the entire year to make this pass totally worth it!
Purchasing the pass also supports the Bell Tower Community Foundation as they work to provide great staff and marketing of the tower to the state and beyond. Please consider purchasing a pass or two for friends or family. They are available year-round at The Welcome Center at 201 E Lincoln Way.
As always, appointments can be made up until the opening in May by calling the Jefferson Chamber of Commerce at 515-386-2155.
