T-R PHOTO BY MIKE DONAHEY
For 20 minutes on Friday, the renown REM Bell Choir of Marshalltown filled every nook and cranny of the Great Western Bank lobby with Christmas cheer. The group of nearly 30 disabled adults used hand and finger bells to play a host of seasonal music, including favorites “Silent Night,” “Silver Bells” and “We Three Kings of Orient Are.” A crowd of more than 100 onlookers made up of family, friends and bank customers took it all in. They acknowledged the group’s efforts after each song with hearty applause. “The performance was great,” staff member Waylon Roth of REM said. “I am really happy how everything went. Their many practices paid off.” Roth and colleagues helped coordinate the effort by holding up small cue cards which allowed choir members to synchronize their bells with others. Before the July 2018 tornado, the group played at the Marshall County Courthouse. The performance grew in popularity during the years. “It was another impressive performance” Marshall County Supervisor Bill Patten said.