The Bell Silvercraft Club, located at 16820 N. 99th Ave., in the Arts & Crafts Building in Sun City, is a treasure trove for jewelry enthusiasts. Since its establishment in 1975, this club has become a hub for jewelry makers and collectors, offering classes from basic silver crafting to intricate wire wrapping and Lost Wax Casting.

The club operates from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Saturday and runs a jewelry sales store from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the same days. Any RCSC cardholder can become a member at an annual fee of $20.

Featured artist is Ellen Kelly, a dynamic 96-year-old who has been crafting jewelry here since 1985. Kelly serves as an inspiration to those around her, previously juggling multiple activities like golf, weightlifting and biking. Now her passions are MahJong, Pinochle and most importantly, constructing unique pieces of jewelry.

Kelly’s first project in 1985 was constructing a silver bracelet. Interestingly, her love for that bracelet led her to create 75 more of them within the same year. Since then, Kelly has designed many other items like sterling silver earrings, necklace sets, a Celtic Cross pendant for a raffle and a breathtaking ring that can be spotted in the club’s display case.

Kelly reveals that her ideas come from various sources such as nature, store displays, catalogs or magazines. Most of her work revolves around sterling silver, but she also enjoys crafting gold hummingbird pendants and conducting jewelry repairs for family members.

Kelly invites anyone interested in jewelry making to visit the club, sign up for a class and experience the joy of creating beautiful pieces of jewelry. Those taking a class can make four different types of jewelry, such as a ring, a bracelet and a pendant, and they can pick their choice for the fourth item.