Jim Scott is likely remembered as a quiet, soft spoken man who was a caring husband and loving father. He lived with his family (wife, son and daughter) in Marysville, California, and attended the First United Church of Yuba City. He loved music and was very dedicated to his church.
He was the handbell director at the church, directing both the Chancel Ringers and the Jubilation Ringers. Eventually, he ended up on the Area 12 Board as the Northern California representative. Jim was instrumental in getting the UC Davis campus secured as the site of the Area 12 conference the first time it was held there in 1984.
It was just a week after that very conference in 1984 that Jim unexpectedly suffered an aneurysm at the wheel of his car, crashing his car and killing himself and his son. (His daughter miraculously survived the crash.)
The church placed a silent bell in the old sanctuary as part of a memorial in his honor, and Area 12 began these two scholarships in his memory.
The Jim Scott Memorial Scholarships were awarded for the first time in 1986, and they are still given to one ringer and one director at every ringers’ conference.
If you know of someone who loves handbells but might not be able to attend the conference because of a financial hardship, please encourage them to apply for this scholarship. By continuing to award this scholarship at every conference, Area 12 keeps the memory of Jim Scott alive.
The Jim Scott Memorial Scholarship assists one ringer and one director in attending the Area 12 Ringers Conference, currently held every other year. The scholarship funds include registration fee and room at half the double occupancy rate, as well as any meals provided as part of the registration fee.
Applicants must:
- Reside within Area 12 (California, Nevada, Hawaii, or Guam)
- Be attending their first Area 12 Conference
- Be a member or associated with an organizational membership of Handbell Musicians of America
- Director applicants currently must be a handbell/handchime director, or have contracted to be a handbell director within Area 12
- Ringer applicants must be currently ringing in a handbell/handchime program within Area 12.
Applications are accepted until February 15 prior to the next ringers’ conference. To be considered, download the application form, fill it out, and email or mail it to the current Area 12 Past Chair (see address on application form).