Marilyn Hines* (2003) a graduate of Indiana State Teacher’s College (now Indiana State University in Pennsylvania), has been a Guild member for thirty-three years. After teaching music in the public schools for several years she gravitated towards church music and in1968 began directing handbells at Center Presbyterian Church in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania. In 1976 she founded and continues to be actively involved with the North Hills Handbell Festival in western Pennsylvania. Her name is synonymous with this event and the force behind its ongoing success engaged in every detail from laying out the floor plan and setting up tables to planning workshop sessions. Marilyn will do any task that needs to be done. Area II has said, “when we have an organizational challenge, we know we can call on Marilyn to save the day…she has always been willing to serve Area II whenever asked, doing whatever she can to help.”
In 2000, her wisdom and experience were invaluable for the development of yet another a new festival in Area II now successfully meeting the needs for level 1 & 2 choirs. Currently she is faculty coordinator for the 2003 Area II Festival Conference and serving on AGEHR’s 50th Anniversary Celebration Committee. Marilyn served as Chair of Area II (1985 – 87) and later as National President (1991 – 1993). During her term as President the Endowment Fund was established, silent auctions at seminars were begun and a handbook for organizing festivals developed. Her strong administrative and organizational skills have been and continue to be an asset for every area of work she undertakes for Handbell Musicians of America. Of particular note is her spadework towards the development of AGEHR’s Certification for handbell directors. She has served as faculty coordinator for numerous national festivals and seminars and worked on an event planning committee for the International Symposium. Her influence as a strong administrator, good leader and patient mentor has been felt from the local level through Area II, nationally and internationally. Marilyn is an encourager, knowing how to enable others to accomplish more than they thought was possible.