Those who have achieved "a certain age" know the importance of physical exercise.

Bend, stretch, reach; weight down, arteries clear, joints limber – these are the goals. Exercising our humanity is just as beneficial as toning our bodies.

Dr. Anthony Moyer and the members of Western Salisbury Church's hand bell choir hone their empathy through the medium of music.

On Dec. 3, the ringers performed at the Emmaus Village Assisted Living Center, Emmaus.

In the audience Vernon Kennedy, a World War II veteran who earned a Purple Heart fighting in Africa, sits next to his friend Bernie Tovich. Pearl and Wilmer Detwiler, the facility's resident married couple, take places in the back. Some in wheelchairs, others without assistance, many with walkers, the spectators gather. Moyer opens the program by inviting everyone to sing along. And they do.

Moyer currently leads the choir which has been in existence for over 20 years. The ringers, whose members range in age from adolescent to senior, rehearse weekly and perform monthly as part of Western Salisbury Church's Sunday service. Approximately twice a year the group takes their music "on the road."

Experience has proven that sing-alongs are more successful, and more fun, than concerts. Familiar songs, in this case Christmas carols, unite the ringers and the singers. On this particular night, the ringers had the additional vocal support of a school psychologist, a teacher and an administrative assistant from Willow Lane Elementary School where Moyer serves as principal.

Not to be outdone, the center boasts the inclusion of Jean Johnson, a former Sweet Adeline. Johnson, who makes a point of attending all musical presentations, participates enthusiastically.

The Christmas season is annually criticized as secular and commercialized. Carols become threadbare from overuse, and sentimentalism replaces reverence. These observations are often valid. However, music triggers memory, and outreach creates connection.

The members of The Western Salisbury Hand Bell Choir and the residents of Emmaus Village Assisted Living Center shared the gift of song. And everyone benefited.