Highland Games Urgently Seek Volunteers

Sent on behalf of the BC Highland Games Committee

To the Scottish Community of Greater Vancouver:

After a continuous 130-year existence, The BC Highland Games is threatened with extinction. Two key factors contribute to this distinct risk.

LACK OF VOLUNTEERS and risk to our financial backer the United Scottish Cultural Society. In order for the games to continue and provide the pre-eminent venue in Western Canada for the furthering of competitive Piping, Dancing, and Bands, WE NEED HELP.

Take your hand off your wallet! WE NEED VOLUNTEERS

In the past two years, a key group of dedicated volunteers have either retired from active participation or reduced their participation in the organization of the event. Many of these people contributed hundreds of hours individually and collectively and their donation of time is immeasurable. We thank them sincerely for their contribution.

NOW WE NEED NEW BLOOD!

In order to continue we need to fill several key positions on our Organizing Committee:

* Finance/Accounting manager
* Sponsorship/Sales
* Public & Media Relations manager
* Volunteer coordinator
* Webmaster

These key positions MUST be filled before the organizing committee will even contemplate moving towards developing a plan for 2012. Contact one of the continuing Organizing Committee Members below AS SOON AS POSSIBLE to volunteer.

The estimated time commitment for the open positions varies, however 10 hours per month is realistic for February through May and likely 15 to 20 in June depending upon the job. This amounts to about 2 1/2 hours a week and about 4 hours a week in June.

Additionally, we need volunteers to assist with less time intensive roles such as:

* Parking and traffic coordination
* Signage/program production (a printing background would be good)
* VIP coordinator
* Ticket manager

WE ALSO NEED 50 TO 75 VOLUNTEERS ON THE DAY OF THE GAMES.

If you know someone in Grade 11 or Grade 12, and if volunteer hours are still a requirement for graduation, this would be a fantastic way of earning some of those valuable volunteer hours.

We presently have a group of four Organizing Committee Members, which is insufficient to pull off this event. If you are committed to the continuation of this 130 year history, please contact Jim Bain (604-435-0764) or Glenna Urbshadt (604-224-5479).

We appreciate your serious consideration of our request and look forward to hearing from many of you.

Sincerely,
Jim Bain
Glenna Urbshadt
Joan Drabyk
Donald Ross

Annual General Meeting November 6 2011

Annual General Meeting

November 6 2011 - Sylvia Hotel 12:00 AM to 3 Pm

1154 Guildford Street Vancouver BC

Following a short business meeting at 12:30 p.m., brunch was served to about 26 Clan MacLeod members.

Election of Officers:

President: Mark MacLeod

Vice President: Norman MacLeod

Treasurer: Stephanie MacLeod

Secretary: Edie Kernighan

Directors: Bill McLeod, Allan MacLeod, Jack MacLeod, Ollie MacLeod, Jean McLeod, Ian MacLeod

Mark thanked everyone for coming and briefly went over the events of the past year, including Burns Lunch, Spring Gathering, Highland Games and get together at Ray and Ollie’s. He thanked everyone for their participation and Bill & Edith for hosting the spring gathering and Ray & Ollie for hosting the summer get together. He also welcomed Linda MacLeod, Anne Trites and Bernice Davidson to the luncheon.

Clan MacLeod Archives:

Bill G. met with two key SFU representatives on October 13 to discuss the possibility of transferring cmsgv archival material to SFU for storage and security. Dr. Leith Davis, Director, Centre of Scottish Studies arranged the meeting with Paul Hebbard, SFU Archivist.

Bill presented some items to show the scope of our activities (local, regional, national & world). Paul Hebbard stated that the storage of CMSGV material would come under their mandate. The material would be donated officially to SFU Archives free of charge. Paul Hebbard presented the following overview:

ORGANIZATIONAL RECORDS LIKELY TO BE ARCHIVES

• Minutes, agendas and meeting papers of the executive or any CMSGV committees
• Articles of incorporation, the CMSGV constitution, and any of the society's policies and procedures
• Master sets of annual reports, newsletters and other publications issued by CMSGV
• Annual accounts statements, Membership records, Event and project files
• Executive correspondence (incoming and outgoing)

Bill asked for and received the continuing support for this project from the executive and membership. The next meeting with SFU reps will be in the early new year. In the meantime, it is important for us to find the archives of several past years. Please contact Bill if you have any information in this regard.

Clan MacLeod Summer Get Together at Ray and Ollie's

It was a bright beautiful day to gather in bright beautiful surroundings at the lovely home of Ray and Ollie on the edge of the Capilano Golf Course in the British Properties.

From our perch on the deck we could watch as golfers worked their way up the fairway to the final hole by the clubhouse. Food was wonderful with poached salmon, an array of salads, fruit and much more. Hospitality was terrific and we enjoyed a sing-along led by Alan MacLeod with Don MacLeod playing his button-box for all to enjoy. Just sitting around the tables on the deck, under sunny skies telling a tale or two was a great way to pass an afternoon. Thank-you Ray & Ollie for the wonderful hospitality hosting our summer ‘picnic’.

The Highland Games

Several clan members braved the rain and some wind to set up the Clan MacLeod booth at the Highland Games on Saturday. We had more visitors as the day wore on and the weather improved. Some said it was fitting to have "Scottish" weather at a Scottish event. Bill, Allan, Ian, Mark, and Dr. Don answered questions from MacLeods and others that stopped by and they along with Alison and Chris held our banner high in the clan parade. Niel, June, Robert, Ray and Ollie joined us later in the afternoon. The stadium offered a beautiful setting, despite the black clouds. The MacLeods found some great deals for socks and golf shirts at the booth across the way.

Spring Get Together April 10 2011

On Sunday afternoon, April 10th, Clan members gathered at Bill and Edith's to enjoy lunch and a visit. The wet weather kept us indoors but the good company warmed us.

Clan MacLeod Membership

Would you like to join the Clan MacLeod Society? Did you forget to renew your membership?

No problem....just request a registration form by email (ediek@mac.com) and we'll send it to you.

Scottish Information from Ian MacLeod

There are tons of Scottish celebrations around Robbie Burns Day (Jan 25), Tartan Day (April 6 in Argentina, Canada, Scotland and the USA and July 1 in Australia and New Zealand) and hundreds of highland games every year around both Canada a...nd the USA. On October 21, 2010, Tartan Day was formally recognized by the Government of Canada. In the US, on April 4, 2008, President George Bush signed a Presidential Proclamation making April 6th National Tartan Day. Before that, US Senate Resolution 155, passed on March 20, 1998, referred to the predominance of Scots among the Founding Fathers and claimed that the American Declaration of Independence was "modeled on" the Declaration of Arbroath. The Declaration of Arbroath is the declaration of Scottish independence, made April 6, 1320 (following Robert the Bruce’s victory at Bannockburn, near Stirling, on June 24, 1314 – remember the closing battle in Braveheart). That Declaration said, among other things, “for, as long as but a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be brought under English rule. It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom – for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself.” – pretty inspiring stuff! President Woodrow Wilson (28th President, 1913-1921) said of the Scots, "Every line of strength in American history is a line colored with Scottish blood.". The Maple Leaf Tartan was approved as an official symbol of Canada on March 9, 2011. And of course, there is the book by Dr. Arthur Herman (Professor of History at Georgetown University): “How the Scots Invented the Modern World: The true story of how western Europe's poorest nation created our world & everything in it”, November 2001, Crown Publishing Group, NY (the Scots provided free, universal education about 100 years before anyone else in the Western world - it paid off!).