New Honorary Life Members
Two new Honorary Life members were named at the final banquet of this year’s National Seminar in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The newest members are D. Linda McKechnie and David Weck.
LINDA McKECHNIE has served the guild at both the area and
national levels. She was Area 9 chair, and served as President of the National Board 1987-1989. In those days, as many recall, the area chairs served on the national board at meetings, and one’s term as president included two years as president-elect, two years as president, and two years as past president. During her term on the National Board, Linda was in charge of planning both the Seminar and National Festival. She was instrumental in organizing the master classes to allow enough time to adequately cover specific topics. She has served as conductor and clinician for several national and area guild events. Through her generous support and enthusiasm for visioning projects, others have been encouraged to participate in the Legacy Society, scholarship programs to assist members in attending events in the areas of education and special
populations, and the current New Initiatives program.
Linda has numerous published handbell arrangements to her credit, including many for handbells plus brass or orchestra, pioneering in the expanding repertoire for the combination of handbells and other instruments. We applaud Linda for her selfless work with her Handbells are for Everyone workshops, bringing together and training people who want to use handbell with their special needs groups. She is an author of curriculum for the current guild certification program.
DAVID WECK has represented the guild as conductor and clinician at numerous area, national, and international events including festival conferences, symposia, seminar, and workshops. David served as guest conductor of the 2009 Distinctly Bronze East. His years on the National Board included selfless and tireless efforts to support the work of the guild’s transitioning to the Policy Governance role model, revision of its by-laws, and chairing the 2008 nominating committee. Area 8 has awarded David with their Outstanding Service Award.
David continues to raise the level of excellence to the greater community through the musicality and professionalism of his Agape Ringers from the Chicago area, and his work as music editor for Agape /Hope Publishing Company of Carol Stream, IL. His work with the Handbell Industry Council has been significant through his willingness to oversee its incorporation and serving on its board of directors in many capacities. David Weck was a pioneer in creating one of the first videos available for beginning handbell ringers and directors. David introduced renowned jazz musician Orbert Davis to handbells, and helped begin the Music Alive! Program bringing music to underprivileged schools.
Congratulations Linda and David.