About The Ringers

Dave Blauch

Joined QCR:  September 2015
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Dave began ringing handbells in 2007 at Davidson UMC when his wife Laura (our Artistic Director) starting directing the Chancel Bells.  He started with QCR when Laura became QCR's Artistic Director.  Growing up in Palmyra, PA, Dave played baritone in band from 4th through 12th grade and also in high school marching band at Palmyra Area High.   Dave has also been playing piano since the 2nd grade and had the honor of playing in his childhood church of St. John's Evangelical Congregational Church (Steelstown, PA).  After earning his PhD in Chemistry from Cal Tech, Dave came to NC to teach Chemistry at Davidson College.  In his free time, Dave enjoys golfing, hiking, fishing and researching genealogy.  He, Laura, daughter Katie and their three cats live in Mooresville.

Carolyn Collier

Joined QCR:  August 2016

Carolyn hails from Richmond, Virginia, and grew up singing and ringing handbells with the youth choir at the Church of the Epiphany.  In grade-school, she played oboe in the symphonic band and piccolo in the marching band.  Her love of music and biology followed her to the College of William and Mary, where she cheered on the Tribe in the W&M Pep Band and played handbells with the Westminster Ringers.  Upon graduation in 2010 (B.S. Biology), Carolyn pursued her DVM at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine (c/o 2014) where she subbed for a local church handbell group.  ​Upon her move to Charlotte in 2015, she found a welcoming niche in the local handbell community, playing with the Charlotte Bronze Handbell Ensemble and Queen City Ringers.  Carolyn is excited to be entering her 9th season with Queen City Ringers.  Outside of handbells, she works as a veterinarian, subjecting her coworkers and pets to impromptu songs.

Brenda d'Happart

Joined QCR:  January 1998

Originally from Pennsylvania, Brenda relocated to Charlotte in 1990 with her husband, Bill.  She began ringing handbells with Center Presbyterian Church at the young age of 14 and has rung with various church and community groups for 49 years .  Brenda has been ringing with Queen City Ringers for 23 years with a brief hiatus during pandemic.  She has also played clarinet, bass clarinet, piano and guitar.  Brenda spends her day job hours working for Knapheide Truck Equipment Center in Midland as an Office Admin.

Matthew Eden

Joined QCR:  January 2017

Matthew, a Charlotte native, was first seriously introduced to music through his school orchestra, where he learned to play viola.  Soon after, he joined the Charlotte Symphony Youth Orchestra and was introduced to handbells through Morning Star Lutheran Church under the direction of Ed Tompkins.  He progressed quickly in both, eventually becoming principal violist of the Youth Orchestra and becoming a member of Charlotte Bronze Handbell Ensemble, with whom he performed for nearly a decade.  In addition to QCR, Matthew also has been with The Raleigh Ringers since 2018.

Robin Farrell

Joined QCR:  August 2016

Robin is a true unicorn - she is an actual Charlotte native, born and raised!  She started playing flute in the 4th grade band and played in the band and orchestra through high school.  Band was a very influential time for Robin, that she has dedicated to making music a staple of her life since.  In 2001, Robin's husband Scott became Director of Music at Stallings Church and that's when she was roped (um, willfully volunteered) into ringing in the church's bell choir.  And she has been ringing every since!!  She joined QCR after her daughter, Chelsea, was in the group.  Robin loves attending the Capital Area Handbell Festival with QCR and other local festivals with her church choir.  Music has been a big part of Robin's life and her music friends are a wonderful addition to her family!! Robin recently retired from her day job to take on a new job - Stay at Home Grandma!!  She is very involved at church and loves to bake in her spare time!  Robin lives in Indian Trail with her husband Scott and dog Ziggy.  And she is thankful her daughter and son-in-law, Chelsea and Tee, and granddaughter Vernie are not very far away!

Kevin Feezor

Joined QCR:  August 2016

Kevin is originally from Spencer, NC and currently resides in Charlotte with his wife Karen.  Music has always been an integral part of his life since first playing a Magnus Chord organ for his grandmother’s church circle group that met at her house.  Kevin took piano lessons during middle and high school years, started playing trumpet in 7th grade, and transitioned to French Horn in 8th-12th grades.  He joined the handbell choir at St. Marks Lutheran Church shortly after becoming a member in 1995 and has been a member of Queen City Ringers since 2016.  Kevin currently serves as Secretary on the QCR Board.  When not ringing handbells, he enjoys traveling, searching out new culinary adventures, golfing, and cheering on his beloved N.C. State Wolfpack, where he studied Chemical Engineering.

Dee Loux

Joined QCR:  September 2021

​Bio coming soon​

Michelle Martin

Joined QCR: August 2017

Michelle originally grew up in the Midwest prior to moving to North Carolina in 1997.  She has been playing music since she was a child, having played piano, French horn, and has been learning the mountain dulcimer when she has time.  Michelle started playing bells at Pineville UMC in 1999. In 2013, she began playing with her current church - Stallings Methodist - where she still continues to play in the bell choir.  ​It was at Stallings that Michelle met some fellow QCR players and at their suggestion, tried out and joined the Queen City Ringers in 2017.  Michelle truly enjoys the friendships she has made through the group over the years as well as learning new techniques and challenging music.  Michelle lives in Indian Trail with her husband and their three furry four-legged children (cats).

Clayton McDaniel

Joined QCR:  August 2023

Clayton native of Raleigh, NC, spent time in Washington State before returning to NC to live in Charlotte.  In 1990 - while in Washington State - was when Clayton first started ringing bells and he joined QCR in 2023 after being invited by fellow ringer Bonnie Pace!!  Clayton is no stranger to music.  He grew up playing clarinet (all types) throughout high school and even went to the University of Tennessee (Knoxville) on a band scholarship.  Outside of QCR, Clayton is the music director at Cooks Memorial Presbyterian Church and also teaches private music lessons.  Clayton has a servant's heart by serving the Beds for Kids Ministry, Kairos Prison Ministry, and Walk to Emmaus Ministry.  In his free tome, he loves to travel, play video games, and attend concerts and theater events.  Clayton has twin sons who are 28 and family that still live in Raleigh.

Hannah Rose Mullins

Joined QCR: January 2024

Hannah Rose is the daughter of fellow QCR Member, Karen Mullins, so becoming a handbell ringer was inevitable.  She began ringing in the 4th grade at Pitts Baptist Church in Concord, NC.  Even while in college at Appalachian State, Hannah Rose continued to ring by joining the Nexsen Ringers at Boone UMC (Boone, NC).  A 2024 graduate of ASU, Hannah Rose now teaches math at Northwest Cabarrus High School (the same school where her mom teaches)!  In addition to handbells, Hannah Rose played percussion throughout middle and high school.  When she is not ringing or teaching, she enjoys anime.

Karen Mullins

Joined QCR:  January 2010

Karen is one of QCR's cherished bass bell ringers (ask her to ring treble and you will get a confused look) and is honored to have her daughter - Hannah Rose - now ringing with the group!!  Karen began ringing at age 12 with First Baptist Church (Henderson, NC) - the same year she began playing percussion in school.  After graduating from Georgia Tech with an Industrial Engineering degree (go Yellow Jackets!), Karen found her way to the classroom.  She currently teaches AP Calculus at Northwest Cabarrus High School (same school as daughter, Hannah Rose).  In her free time, Karen likes to play percussion in her church's praise band (when she can), hang out with dog, and cheer on the Boston Red Sox.  She lives in Concord, NC, and has 2 children - Drew and Hannah Rose.

Julie Olney

Joined QCR:  August 2011

Julie started her handbell career in 1994 at her church - Christ UMC - where she still rings in the adult handbell choir and where she also used to direct the Children's handchime choir.  She has fond memories of her first festival being the Capital Area Handbell Festival (Raleigh, NC) after she began ringing! Growing up in Jackson, MI, Julie played saxophone in band throughout middle and high school and also sang in her church's vocal choir.  After retiring as an engineer, Julie was able to turn her full attention to another role....Grandma!!  She loves having her grandkids attend concerts and introducing them to the instrument she loves to play!

Bonnie Pace

Joined QCR:  January 2015

Bonnie is excited to be in her 10th season with QCR, having joined the group in 2015!  Bonnie grew up in Ahoskie, NC, which is where she got her start ringing handbells.  While she was in high school, her church purchased a set of handbells and she was recruited to be a part of the bell choir since she could read music.  Music had been a part of her life growing up through piano lessons, vocal choirs, and playing clarinet in the school band.  Bonnie is retired from the City of Charlotte and enjoys hiking trails with her dog, riding her horse, cooking, and reading.

Milton Sheffield

Joined QCR:  August 2004

Milton starting ringing handbells in 1980 with the Youth Handbell Choir at First Baptist Church in New Bern, NC.  He was able to return to bells after he met his wife, fellow QCR member Sarah, when he started playing with the Adult Handbells at Weddington Methodist.  He started as a sub with QCR in Spring of 2003 and joined full time in fall of 2004.  Milton earned his BS degree in Wood Science and Technology from NC State and now works for the International Paper Recycling Division in Charlotte where he is an Finance Generalist.  In his free time, he enjoys running as well as playing disc golf, serving as a sound technician at Weddington Methodist and is a member of the Weddington Optimist Club.  He and Sarah live in Indian Trail, NC.

Jean Swiontek

Joined QCR:  August 2017

Bio Coming Soon

Lauren Weatherstone

Joined QCR:  August 2024

Lauren is excited to be in her first year with QCR!! Her handbell adventures started in high school when she signed up for handbell class at Bandys high school (under the direction of QCR alumna, Allison Keisler!!)  She continued ringing when she went off the college at NC State with the HUM Ringers at Highland UMC in Raleigh, NC.  In addition to bells, Lauren played upright bass and percussion in band, as well as guitar and piano in her free time.  Growing up, Lauren moved around as an army brat but has settled in Denver, NC where she is Raw Material Chemist in pharmaceutical manufacturing.  When Lauren is not ringing bells or busy with work, she loves to read and travel!

Lisa Woerner

Joined QCR:  January 2002

Lisa remembers hearing her first handbell concert at church, reminding her of angels delicately singing.  That's all it took to get her hooked.  She enjoys every possible opportunity to play, attending local and national events including Great Christmas Rings, Ringing Nativity in Washington DC, Distinctly Bronze East, and Distinctly Bronze West.  When Lisa is not working one of her many jobs she enjoying knitting, crafting, sewing, and gardening with her feline fur babies.  There's also an occasional chance to read a book or two!

Managing Director

Sarah Sheffield

Joined QCR:  August 2002

Sarah's love of handbells began in 1994 when she was recruited to play in her church's handbell choir.  Now she is around bells every chance she can – like ringing with Queen City Ringers (since 2002), ringing with The Raleigh Ringers (since 2017), attending Distinctly Bronze East, ringing in her church's bell choir, subbing in fellow local choirs, and solo ringing. Sarah is involved with the Handbell Musicians of America Area 3 as the Community Choir Liaison.  Outside of ringing (there's a life outside of bells?), Sarah likes to read, cross stitch, go to the movies, and play in her church's flute choir.  Sarah has a music education degree (French horn), though works for an insurance agency as her day job.  She and her husband Milton (who also rings) live in Indian Trail, NC.