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The Clan Piper
Newsletter October 2007
Editor's
First Words
This is a
special issue for me as it is my third time to put forth time and
effort to produce a the 'Clan Piper' and should someone decide/agree to
take on the position of Editor at the AGM, this could be my last time
to speak to you all. Creating a newsletter is an exciting task
and rather daunting as it reaches every member in one form or
another. It can also be frustrating if the very membership you
seek to address is not responding back in one form or another with
comments, additions such as birthdays, happenings, recipes, crafts or
short articles on just about anything! It is not a newsletter if
one person is creating the entire publication. A newsletter
should be bits and pieces of information received from the very
membership it seeks to address along with news and updates from the
board and the Chief. So to those of you who have written and/or
sent in pieces/information/articles - Thank You! To the rest of
you, pick up the phone, write a note or send an e-mail, include a photo
and get involved. Share a small part of your lives, your family,
and your interests with the rest of us. We are all family and
family shares in the lives of family!
This is an eventful month for all of us as our first Annual General
Meeting as Clan MacLennan USA is October 20, 2007. For the first
time ever, each of us as members has the opportunity to choose the
leadership and direction Clan MacLennan USA simply by voting regardless
of our ability to attend the AGM. And to ensure that we all
have a voice, every member has the opportunity to vote simply by
utilizing a Form Of Proxy and forwarding it immediately to either the
Secretary or the President. So please take a few minutes and read
the Interim President's letter to all members and see how you can be
involved, have a voice and make a difference.
Please read about the Highlands Ranch Festival in Colorado attended by
Interim Clan President David Jones and see the accompanying photos of
MacLennans of all ages celebrating family, heritage and life! Family
Reunions at the Games
Be sure to read the 'Chief's Note' as there is an important
announcement that affects all MacLennans in the USA!
And as we approach the AGM, we as members have several things to
ponder:
- Who is
willing to step forward and serve in a volunteer position?
- Who is a
member and how many others from within your own family have you
encouraged to become members?
- When
holidays, birthdays, and other specials days roll around that require
gift-giving will you please consider giving the gift of a membership to
Clan MacLennan USA?
- How many
of the festivals/events in your part of the country did you attend and
support?
- Are you
willing to give a weekend a year to convene a Clan MacLennan tent at a
festival in your area?
- Did you
know that Clan MacLennan USA now reimburses a set amount for every
event that is convened on behalf of Clan MacLennan to make it easier
for families/members to get involved and host an event?
- Did you
know that Clan MacLennan USA now offers a Youth Membership for only
$10.00 that includes a membership gift so that the next generation of
MacLennans can get involved at an early age?
- Did you
realize that your $20.00 membership helps pay for the convener
reimbursement, membership gifts, and youth scholarships?
I am proposing at this time that for every household that receives this
'Clan Piper', a pledge is made to ensure that 3 more MacLennans become
members or receive membership in Clan MacLennan USA. We cannot
grow without your support and without your spreading the word that we
exist. Please take the pledge and either give 3 memberships as
gifts or ensure that 3 more MacLennans join Clan MacLennan USA by
October 20th, 2007. Let the Interim Committee know that their
efforts are appreciated, that they are supported and that the new
leadership has your support. Help ensure that Clan MacLennan USA
continues to grow in membership, continues to provide conveners at
festivals/events nationwide and that Clan MacLennan USA continues to
encourage the youth of today to explore their heritage by providing
scholarships for dance, music and athletics. All of this can be
done by simply increasing membership and growth in Clan MacLennan USA.
In closing, take a moment and consider filling an office for Clan
MacLennan USA. Open positions are listed and anyone interested in
helping the organization to grow should contact David Jones
immediately. We need you, the Clan needs you, get involved!
Colleen MacLennan - Editor
DumSpiroSpero_1@msn.com
The Chief's Award
Chief Ruairidh D. G. MacLennan of MacLennan and Clan
MacLennan USA would like to announce the creation of the 'Chief's
Award' to be awarded to those members of Clan MacLennan who performance
as a volunteer, leader and/or mentor for Clan MacLennan USA is
outstanding and as such, merits recognition by both the Clan MacLennan
USA organization and Chief Ruairidh. This form of recognition is a
medal hanging from a ribbon of Green and Gold in the tradition of a
military medal. Watch for additional information regarding this
incredible award including the criteria for selection and the
application process.
Caring
& Sharing
This
is your section: please send us your news, information and photos of
your MacLennan families. Share with us, brag a bit, introduce
yourselves to the Clan! We are anxious to meet you
all. We would love to share in your Graduations,
Anniversaries, Birthdays, Births, Promotions, Good News and support you
in your losses also, so send us your news, this is your
Newsletter. Suggestions and recommendations are always
welcome.
4th
Quarter Birthdays
David
Jones - October 8th
Sharyl MacLennan - October 11th
Ann Bever - October 12th
Hunter - November 16th
Contributions from Murdo MacLennan
Recovering
Our
thoughts and prayers are with the following Clan MacLennan USA members
as they heal:
Margaret Farley as she recovers from surgery.
Braxton McKeon as he recovers from injuries sustained in the line of
duty.
Best wishes to John Bever as he recovers from surgery.
Barron McKeon as he recovers from illness related to service in the
line of duty.
Best wishes to Murdo MacLennan as he recovers from surgery.
Our
Military Heroes
Our thoughts and prayers are with the following Clan MacLennan Heroes
who are serving our country in the military. Please remember
them in your prayers.
L. Jay
Parks
serving another tour of duty in Iraq
Barron McKeon
redeploying in November to Bahrain aboard the U.S.S.
Dextrous
Braxton McKeon
serving aboard the U.S.S.
Nimitz
Contributions from Colleen MacLennan
A Message
From The Chief
Dear Clansfolk,
Once again I sit in the living room looking out
across Loch Ness pondering the events of the past few months and trying
to recall what I have actually done with my time so that I can report
to you. Often, my mind goes blank and I start to question whether I
have achieved much or whether I have just been busy being busy!
The changing colours of the leaves on the trees have
reinforced the fact that autumn has very much arrived, shattering the
hopes of a late summer. No such luck here in Scotland! We have endured
a fairly wet summer, one of the wettest on record, which has caused me
many a day of frustration whilst trying to progress my DIY programme at
the house and bothy up on the West Coast. However, the past weekend was
pleasant and 3 months of planned painting was crammed into a long
weekend which saw the house vastly change colour. I had friends staying
with us who were running in the Loch Ness Marathon. As the half way
point is very close to the house, I couldn't resist the temptation of
taking a short break from painting and watching the runners going past.
Feeling rather sorry for the depressed looking runners I went inside
and took my bagpipes out of their case. My intention was to play a few
tunes and carry on with the painting, however, seeing how much the
music was boosting the morale of the runners, I ended up exhausting
myself by playing for an hour and a half on and off.
By time I finished the painting and joined my friends in the Dores Inn
for supper, it looked like it was me that had run a marathon! Slightly
embarrassing was the fact that a film crew covering the event decided
to film me piping. Surely some viewers will wonder why a piper chose to
wear paint-splattered clothing for the occasion!
The summer has been fairly busy. After Luxemburg in
May, the next trip was to Halifax, Nova Scotia to pipe at the Royal
Nova Scotia International Tattoo with the TA pipe band, now renamed the
Pipes & Drums of the 7th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland.
We were in Halifax for just over two weeks and played at the tattoo
each day for over a week. For the duration of the trip, we were playing
the pipes every day, some days for many hours in full military No 1
uniform. By time we returned to Scotland, I suspect most members of the
band would have quite happily sold their full uniform and pipes for not
a great sum of money! However, after a few weeks break from the great
highland war pipe, I find myself yet again picking them up for a few
tunes. The next event of note is a presentation to members of the
Battalion by Prince Charles at Birkhall later this month to those
members of the Battalion who served in Iraq earlier this year, which
includes a number of band members.
Aside from piping, I have been busy with work and
continue to gallivant around the Highlands and Islands, which I have to
confess to rather enjoying. My work is split dealing with private
clients who own large rural estates and public utilities such as water
and electricity companies. Negotiating the purchase of land for new
Water Supply Treatment Works and Sewage Works seems to be the bulk of
my work at present along with all the necessary legal agreements for
laying the associated pipes. Dull as it must sound, it does take me to
every corner of the highlands and last month I spend a week in the
Western Isles putting together agreements and carrying out valuations
of new sites.
Aside from work, I have over involved myself in
Community Council matters and Community Development Fund Committees. I
recently took over as Chairman of the Royal Institute of Chartered
Surveyors Highland Area, which has toppled the balance to becoming
overly busy. I have therefore decided to step away from a few
Committees to give myself more time to concentrate or career, home as
well as Clan affairs.
The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs are becoming
an increasingly active group and are working towards holding a
Gathering of the Clans in Edinburgh in the summer of 2009. Further
details of the event can be found at www.thegathering2009.com
Whilst I
have not explored the idea with other Clan MacLennan Associations, it
has crossed my mind to having a MacLennan Clan presence at this event
and if there is enough interest from Clan members, this event could
form part of a MacLennan Gathering, part of which can be in the
Highlands for just the MacLennans followed by combining it with the
Gathering of the Clans in Edinburgh. Perhaps this is something, which
can be discussed amongst individual Committees in due course. Any
feedback at this stage would be appreciated.
Both sisters Kirsteen and Lorna are well. Kirsteen
and her husband James live through in Fochabers in Morayshire but come
through to Dores for a visit every now and again. They are well
practiced at holding dinner parties so there is no surprise that they
get the rest of us through visiting quite a lot. Lorna recently
celebrated her 33rd birthday and had a party at the house in Dores.
There was a Mexican theme to the party, which resulted in a variety of
unusual costumes.
In closing my short message, I wish to thank those
of you who are continuing to work to keep the Clan Association active
and to those members who continue to support the Clan. Your dedication
does not go unnoticed, especially as your Association is going through
a period of transition, which will hopefully result in a refreshed and
efficient Committee leading your Association towards a period of growth
in membership.
Kind Regards
Chief Ruairidh
Editor's Note - After receiving this note from the Chief
and conferring with other MacLennans in the Rocky Mountain area, it has
been ascertained that there is a great deal of interest in attending
this event not only as family but also as a contingent of Clan
MacLennan USA members. Please visit the aforementioned website
and request to be added to their mailing list so you can receive
updates as they become available. This is an event of a lifetime
and Clan MacLennan USA will most definitely want play a role in
supporting not only our Chief but Clan MacLennan worldwide at this
event. As we approach the AGM later this month, it would be a
good time to announce the creation of a '2009 Gathering Committee' and
those interested in serving should contact either David or
myself. Here is a short piece from the website to whet your
interest!
Holyrood Park, Edinburgh
Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th of July 2009
The Gathering 2009 will take the form of an international clan
gathering and the largest highland games ever held in Scotland, and
will be one of the key events of Homecoming Scotland.
It is estimated that there will be over 80 clan tents, with around 7500
clan and Scottish association members from around the world. The
highland games will attract a further 30,000 people over the two days.
It will showcase competitors from all disciplines that constitute a
traditional highland games such as piping, dancing, and heavy athletics.
The special clan ceremony will take the form of a clan parade on the
Royal Mile culminating in a unique clan pageant on the magnificent
esplanade of Edinburgh Castle.
David clan-maclennan-pres@mindspring.com
Colleen DumSpiroSpero_1@msn.com
Letter
from the President
This
will be my last message to you as your Interim President.
I was going to start with the message about our Association and exhort
you to support us, by becoming or continuing to be active.
But Editor Colleen has done that very well in this issue. So, suffice
it for me to endorse her comments wholeheartedly. The Association
really is YOU - the members... no more and no less.
Since the changes that started in June, we have accomplished a lot...
- We are now
operating with a set of By Laws. They are Draft at present and will
become Final and established as soon as a slate of Officers is elected
at the general meeting. See July
Newsletter for the draft copy.
- Banking is
established and running smoothly.
- Committees
and activities have direction and coordination.
- Proxy voting
is established to enable those not able to attend the general meeting
to vote.
- We have
members coming forward to run for at least some of the Executive
positions, and more should be recruited before the actual meeting.
- The Chief's
announcement mentioned below.
It has been a lot of hard work, and there have been some difficult
decision to make and it could not have been done without sacrifices and
contributions.
In particular, I heartily thank:
- Jennifer Young and Colleen MacLennan McKeon who bore the brunt of
contribution and sacrifice as they joined me as the Interim Executive.
Our goal has been to put the house in order and be able to pass over to
the incoming Executive a vibrant and healthy organization.
- Dale Young who so ably fulfilled the Treasurer role and has the
banking arrangements solidly in place and working smoothly.
- And Marilyn Baumeister who shared with us the very valuable help and
insights about past operations and practices that come from her
extensive experience and connection with the previous associations so
that we could transition to a new and workable organization without
losing all the past experiences. And, Marilyn is very generously
hosting the tent at Stone Mountain this year.
Thanks to all!
Looking ahead to the general meeting...
Section 401 of the By Laws provides for an Executive Committee of 7 to manage
the organization, comprised of:
5 Officers
President
Vice President
Treasurer
Secretary
Communications Secretary
2 At Large Members
I will stand for election, but if anyone else wants the job, I'll be
happy to help with a smooth transition! Colleen has indicated that she
will stand for a Secretary Office, and continue to do the Newsletter
and try to recruit help on the newsletter. Dale will stand for
Treasurer. Jim Logan is able to resume activity with the Clan and will
run for VP or At Large. Marilyn will help in any way she can. So, we
have the nucleus of interest and commitment.
But none of us have any sense of ownership about these positions! We'd
welcome any and all others running for any of the positions. Just let
me, Jennifer, Colleen or anyone you know who will be at the meeting
know of your interest and willingness to run, and we'll find a way to
get you involved.
Murdo MacLennan has indicated willingness again to be our Merchandise
Manager and Alexandre McKeon to continue as Youth Coordinator. Other
critical activities that need a Coordinator are: Membership and
Conveners. As Colleen indicated, please consider how you can help YOUR
organization.
Thank you in advance and on behalf of ALL members!
And looking further ahead...
Ann and I are also very interested in the 2009 Gathering in Edinburgh
that the Chief and Colleen mentioned above. I was in Edinburgh in 2005
for a Pipefest celebration where 9,100 pipers and drummers did a massed
parade in Holyrood Park, Edinburgh. I can assure you that Edinburghers
and Scots really do know how to have a good time and ensure that all
their visitors do also!
Yours aye!
David Jones
General
Meeting Reminder
Annual General Meeting
Saturday October
20, 2007
6:00 PM
Holiday Inn
Express Stone Mountain
1790 East Park Place Blvd.
Stone Mountain GA 30087
770-465-8847
[approx. a mile from Stone Mountain Park
gates]
Proxy Voting encouraged for all
members over 18 years of age.
Proxy Form can be printed from
this site - click here
Note
that the Draft By Laws will come into effect at this meeting with
the election of Officers.
Check
out the draft By Laws and submit comments.
Consistent with our Youth and fellowship goals, we are fortunate to
have a young lady - Sarah Givens - a McClendon and clan member -
and an accomplished harpist who will be playing at the tent in addition
to her competition and performances.
Youth
In The Spotlight
We
are proud to introduce Lexi Ludeman, proud Clan MacLennan Youth Member
in Colorado. Lexi is a member of not only her school basketball
team but also her volleyball team. Lexi attended the Highlands
Ranch Festival in Colorado in August with her family and was given a
Youth Membership by her Grandmother, Jeanette MacLennan Ludeman as a
way of not only introducing Lexi to Clan MacLennan USA but also with
the hope that Lexi and other youth will get involved, become educated
as to Clan history and participate in future Clan MacLennan
activities. We are hoping Lexi will soon start Highland Dance
lessons and continue where older sister Shaunda left off!
Youth Pages
Welcome to the YOUTH PAGES! We are seeking youth of all ages
to not only join Clan MacLennan USA but to get involved by acting as a
Youth Photographer and sending us your photos of all things
Scottish/Celtic. Send us a photo of your pipe band practice, or one of
you completing in dance, or one of your family at a festival. Represent
your Clan by participating as a Youth Reporter and write a short piece
about your day at a festival or how it felt to get your first kilt or
whether you want to learn to play the bagpipes, drums or harp. So join
us, write to us, send a photo or two and get involved!
The Youth Pages are available on the Website at http://clanmaclennan.org and there is also a
link on the main website to the Youth Pages. There are new Youth Pages
every quarter with puzzles, coloring pages and interesting information
for youth of all ages regarding Clan MacLennan, the Chief, Coat of
Arms, and lots of other interesting topics. There are contests,
drawings and prizes so please make sure your MacLennan youth views the
Youth Pages and has a chance to participate, learn and win a prize too!
Please bookmark the above link and visit the Youth Pages often with
your children/grandchildren and enter to win!
The purpose of the Youth Pages is to educate, inform
and promote interest in all things MacLennan and Scottish. The youth of
today are the conveners, Chief's Lieutenants, bagpipers and drummers,
dancers and leaders of tomorrow. We hope to provide information on a
variety of subjects important to the Clan and Scots to youth of all
ages and it is our goal to do that in fun, informative and interesting
ways. We are always open to suggestions and appreciate your comments
both positive and negative and we especially enjoy receiving the
entries and papers from the youth.
Clan MacLennan Youth Program 11757 W.
Ken Caryl Avenue
Littleton CO USA 80127
A Wonderful
Way To Honor Those Who Have Passed On
In
years past, several MacLennan families have honored and remembered
those family members who have passed on by sponsoring an award in a
particular event in the deceased member's name. This Memorial
Award has been a family tradition for the McKeon children who chose to
remember their father Brian McKeon who died while they were very young
by sponsoring an award at every festival they convened with their
mother Colleen MacLennan each year. For the past 19 years Brian
has been remembered at festivals by a Memorial Award for either
Drumming or Piping. This year, Clan MacLennan members at the
Highlands Ranch Games in Colorado sponsored 6 additional Memorial
Awards for family members who have passed. This has become a
tradition for Clan MacLennan in the Rocky Mountain region and we hope
it is a tradition that will spread across the country. What better way
to honor our deceased MacLennan members while also providing awards to
those who provide so much music, entertainment and hope for the
Clan. Check with your event chairman and request information with
regard to sponsoring Memorial Awards this coming festival year and be
sure to share your Memorial Award information with us. Please
join us in remembering the following MacLennan family members:
Brian McKeon Frank
Ludeman Jerry MacLennan
John Bever Chris
MacLennan Kenny Nelson
Clan
MacLennan Goodies For Sale
As we continue to improve and update the Clan MacLennan USA website we
want to remind you to visit the website and see all the items we now
have for sale. You will be able to purchase these items online
with a credit card by November or you can order any of the items by
sending a check to the Secretary.
3rd
Quarter 2007 Event Dates & Locations
| October |
|
|
| Oct. 5-6 |
Missouri (St. Louis) |
St. Louis Scottish Games |
| Oct 5-7 |
North Carolina (Red Springs) |
Flora MacDonald Highland Games |
| Oct 5-7 |
Georgia (Hartwell) |
Loch Hartwell Highland Games and Scottish Festival |
| Oct 6 |
Connecticut (Goshen) |
Scottish Festival |
| Oct 6-7 |
Nevada (Reno) |
Reno Celtic Celebration |
| Oct 6-7 |
Maryland (Furnace Town) |
Chesapeake Celtic Festival |
| Oct 6-7 |
Louisiana (Monroe) |
Northeast Louisiana Celtic Festival |
| Oct 12-14 |
California (Ventura) |
The Seaside Highland Games |
| Oct 12-14 |
Pennsylvania (White Haven) |
Harpers' Escape Weekend |
| Oct 13 |
Maryland (Annapolis) |
The Anne Arundel Scottish Festival |
| Oct 13 |
Virginia |
Radford Highlanders Festival |
| Oct 13-14 |
Texas (Bedford) |
Celtic Heritage Festival |
| Oct 19-21 |
Georgia |
Stone Mountain Highland Games and Scottish
Festival |
| Oct 20 |
Texas (Houston) |
Clear Lake Celtic Music Festival |
| Oct 20-21 |
New Mexico (Rio Rancho) |
Rio Rancho Highland Games and Scottish Festival |
| Oct 20-21 |
Texas (Amarillo) |
League of Celtic Nations Celtic Festival and
Highland Games |
| Oct 27 |
North Carolina (Waxhaw) |
Waxhaw Scottish Games |
| Oct 27-28 |
Virginia |
Richmond Highland Games and Celtic Festival |
November
|
|
|
Nov 3-4
|
Texas
|
Austin Celtic Festival
|
Nov 9-11
|
Maryland
|
Baltimore Irish Festival
|
Nov 9-11
|
Texas
|
Scottish Clan Gathering & Highland
Games
|
Nov 9-11
|
Pennsylvania
|
Scottish and Irish Festival at the
Fernwood Hotel and Resort
|
Nov 10-11
|
Mississippi
|
Highlands and Islands Scottish Games
|
Nov 16-18
|
Louisiana
|
Highland Games of Louisiana
|
Nov 17
|
Florida
|
Dunedin Celtic Festival |
December
|
|
|
Dec 1
|
Texas
|
rish Christmas in America
|
Dec 2
|
California
|
Celtic Christmas Faire
|
Dec 8-9
|
Florida
|
Rotonda Elks Gaelic & Celtic Festival
|
Please send
us your Festival Information to
DumSpiroSpero_1@msn.com
and we'll be happy to include it in the next Clan Piper in January!
Contributed By Colleen MacLennan
Membership
Jennifer
Young is serving as the Interim Membership Chair and can be contacted
for any questions relating to membership at:
288 White Road
Portland, TN 37148
615-323-7891
scotia.1320@yahoo.com
Clan MacLennan USA is rebuilding, revitalizing and renewing it's pledge
to support the Clan, its members and the organizations' goal.
Please join today and help Clan MacLennan USA grow and represent you.
Please
join us in welcoming the following new members to Clan MacLennan: David
Clapp, Donald McLennan, Ann MacLennan Bever, Robert Hale Sr., Christina
Ludeman, Mary Jeannette MacLennan Ludeman, Ronald C. MacLennan, Banning
P. McKeon, Will Baumeister, Sarah Givens (youth), Lexi Ludeman (youth).
And to
make it easier... we're pleased to announce that you can now subscribe
online and pay with your credit card!
VISA /
MASTERCARD / AMEX or PayPal account.!
Click here to go
over to the Membership Application form, and from there link directly
to make your online payment.
Clan News Around the World...
Don't forget to keep in touch with Clan MacLennan Worldwide.
The
website is full of interesting and fun information.
The page you are reading now is within the USA section
of the Worldwide site.
To check out the rest of the USA site, click
here..
To see what's going on in other countries, just click on
the Worldwide Home link at the left of this page.
... And from
Mountain Region
To check on more specific items from Mountain Region, click
here.
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