ADAMS TWP - A township woman who has spent her life around music and works to keep music alive in the community has been honored for her volunteer work in the arts.

Linda Maurhoff, the founder of the Opus I Music Society, was recently awarded the Dominion Volunteer in Arts Award, given to individuals who have given their time and talents to ensure arts thrive in the Pittsburgh region.

She was honored at a luncheon, sponsored by WQED Multimedia and the Dominion Foundation, on Sept. 15. She also was presented her honors before the Opus I Music Society meeting on Monday.

The Dominion VITA Award was established in 1988.

"Volunteers are the heart and soul of any arts organization," said William Hall Jr., Dominion's vice president of external affairs and corporate communications. "Dominion is pleased to help honor those people who keep the arts in our community vibrant."

"It's an honor to be a part of this group of 12 individuals," said Maurhoff.

Others honored with the VITA Award this year include volunteers from such groups as the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra, the Strayhorn Theatre and the Ligonier Valley Writers.

Along with Maurhoff's honor, the Opus I Music Society will receive a $1,000 grant from the Dominion Foundation to fund the club's scholarship program.

A volunteer-of-the-year award winner will be announced later this year, when $2,500 will be presented to one of the 12 VITA Award winners.

Maurhoff, 54, founded the Opus I Music Society in May 1991. The mission of the group is to make music an integral part of the culture and educational life of the community.

With many musical clubs and groups facing aging membership, the Opus I Music Society is thriving with a nearly 50 members from a wide raging of ages and skills, though roughly about half are music teachers.

"We've (Opus I Music Society) become a tool for the community," said Maurhoff. "We're an active membership with a wide range of members from seniors to youths and young mothers."

In addition to founding the music society, Maurhoff has been teaching piano lessons for 32 years and is the church musician at the Mars Alliance Church.

"Music has been a part of my life forever," she said. "We grew up with music at all the family gatherings. My grandmother played music until she was 96 years old. My mother can play music by ear."

The Opus I Music Society has provided musical scholarship opportunities for students in the Mars, Seneca Valley and Pine-Richland school districts who will major in music. Over the years, the group has funded more than $10,000 in scholarships.

The club benefits the schools because it is a member of the National Organization of Music Clubs, which enables its students to earn musical merit awards for their performances.

The Opus I Music Society meets at 9 a.m. the third Monday of the month at the Mars Alliance Church. For information, contact president Kathy Csellar at 724-443-0237.