Handbell Musicians of America

[Joan Reppert]

St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Ithaca, NY was ready for handbells in 1978. A memorial gift to the church required that it be used for a bell purchase. I happened to be a member of the music staff and was given the responsibility for the selection of the handbells and the direction we would take in the developing of a handbell program. Being a complete novice and totally desperate, I searched for someone to guide me. That someone turned out to be Don Allured. I summoned enough courage to call him for some advice. He generously gave me some time on the phone, answering basic questions. Many years later in Pittsburg, I attended one of his workshops, giving me the opportunity to thank him in person for setting me on the road to "handbell heaven".