The Clishmaclaver Newsletter of the Clan Donnachaidh Society Upper Midwest November 2016 Issue 30th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION ROLLS ON THE ILLINOIS RIVER By James Robertson Ward, Editor, The Clishmaclaver A weekend of cruising on the historic Illinois River section of the Great Lakes to the Gulf waterway, an Annual General Meeting in the distinctive LaSalle Room of the PereMarquette Hotel and fine dining at Alexander s waterfront steak house! All of this combined for a fitting look at the CDSUM history and a tribute to a bright future. Registration began on Friday afternoon, and displays of photographs from Highland Games of the late 80 s and 90 s were on display. Many arriving members enjoyed the fine dining at the hotel. Up early and ready to board the Spirit of Peoria paddle wheeler at the Illinois riverfront. Pipers Michael Flemming and Kathy Hart were on hand with a short concert before boarding. Our buffet luncheon table was ready and we enjoyed the colorful shoreline was we cruised along. Jackets were in order as the chilly winds came across the deck. Most of our group took cover inside. Back to the dock and assembly in the LaSalle room for our Annual General Meeting, led by President Bill Reid. Minutes of the meeting are reported on pages two and three. A break after the meeting and then off to Alexander s Steak House for more gracious dining. Back to the hotel after a busy day, and departure on Sunday after breakfast. A great celebration and thanks to the Committee that put it all together! Inside this issue: 30th Anniv. 1 AGM Minutes 2 Davenport, IA 4 Livonia, MI 4 Columbus, IN 5 Waukesha, WI 5 Membership rpt. 5 Cruise Pics 6 AGM & Dinner Pics 7 30th Behind Scene 8 Pres Message 9 2017 Events 10 Happy Holidays Clan Donnachaidh!
Page 2 Annual General Meeting Clan Donnachaidh Society Upper Midwest October 15, 2016 The Annual General Meeting was opened by President Bill Reed, at 2 PM Present at the meeting, Cheryl Carlson, John Carlson, Michael Flemming, Bob Hart, Kathy Hart, Ben Kuhl, Tiffany Kuhl, Sally Olson, Jessie Read, Russ Read, Bill Reid, John Reid, Bob Robertson, Brenda Robertson, Dick Robertson, Mary Jane Robertson, Jim Ward, Gordon Wilber, Patricia Wilber, and Lynn Wood. Bill thanked everyone for coming to the AGM. He expressed his pleasure with the past year and the new tents, and thanked Gordon and Russ for their efforts in getting them. Bill also thanked the AGM committee for making the AGM a very big success, Jessie, Lynn, Patricia, and Tiffany. Treasurers report: John reported as of September 30, 2016 we have current balance of $3147.86. Membership report: Patricia reported we had 55% renewal rate this year with 43 new members for total membership of 95. Patricia stated that she will continue for another year as membership chair. Patricia has published a council information sheet (See your registration packet). Please check the information for correctness. If there are any additions or corrections please notify Patricia at donnachaidh@comcast.net or email to clandonnachaidh.org. A copy of the information sheet will be provided to members that request it. Trustees Report: Expiration of Terms: Council Members: Liz Reed, John Carlson, Kathy Hart, Brenda and Dick Robertson Officers: Bill Reid; President, John Reid; Treasurer, and Lynn Wood; Secretary All expiring members of council agreed to service an additional term on council and are recommended by the Trustees. Continued on Page 3
Page 3 Continued from Page 2 Hearing no nominations from the floor, Liz Reed, John Carlson, Kathy Hart, Brenda and Dick Robertson were ratified to serve another two year term on council. Election of officers: The Trustees reported that all Officers have agreed to serve an additional term in their current positions and are so nominated by the Trustees. Bill handed the gavel over to Gordon Wilber to run the election of officers Hearing no nominations from the floor, Bill Reid was ratified as President, Lynn Wood as secretary, and John Reid as treasurer. Congratulations our new officers The gavel was returned to President Bill Reid Old Business; None New business: Merchandising: It was discussed and decided to create a merchandising catalog to have at the Clan Tents to illustrate the Clan specific merchandise available on the clandonnachaidh.org website. Gordon and Ben agreed to work on producing the catalog. It was determined that we should review and update our bylaws as necessary to allow us to conduct clan business through the internet. Gordon moved and it was seconded by Jessie that we create a committee for the bylaw with no less than three people to be on it. The motion carried. Russ and Gordon have agreed to be on this committee. Anyone interested in participating, should contact Russ or Gordon. Russ would like to replace the flagpoles. Gordon made a motion and it was seconded by Lynn to provide up to $500 to the quartermaster for new flagpoles. The motion passed. The meeting adjourned at 2:40 PM Respectfully submitted; Lynn Wood Lynn Wood Secretary
Page 4 Davenport Games Report By Ben Kuhl Mother nature was at her best at the scenic Centennial Park. The sun was shining and the temperature was not too hot for mid September. After setting up we met the new event chair, Pat Stoudt. Russ Reid, CDSUM member, was gracious enough to donate a fine bottle of scotch to the winner of the Bonnie Knees Contest. Thanks Russ! Clan members joined in the blacksmith demonstrations and several workshops including Introduction to Hammered Dulcimer not to far from our tent. Later that night, everyone met at Biaggi s for some great food and drink. Pony rides near the CDSUM tent Braden Kuhl (Robertson) Livonia Games Report By Luke Robertson We arrived on the 5th in Lavonia, the evening before the Festival. once my wife and I checked into our hotel we attended the evening festivities at Greenmead, it was a nice warm evening. We had the pleasure of seeing the performances of Stone Clover, Albannach, and The Mud Men. There were about 1000 people attending, there was food and Scotch. Even some of the vendors were open into the evening. My wife Pagan was able to meet the members of Albannach and became friends with one named Drew Reid on Facebook. The next day was bright and very sunny, and as I expected a very high attendance. We met and talked with many Clans People. It was also my birthday and to say as little as I can, Clan Donald helped a lot in the celebration( they like their Scotch). One particular family of Robertson's we met was an uncle and his two Nephews. The boys father had past away and the uncle had taken it upon himself to keep their Scottish tradition with his nephews, the oldest boy was proudly wearing his father's kilt. I was touched and said to them that their Father would be very proud. I told the uncle that he was a good man and Scotsman. I invited them to walk out with us at the Presentation of the Clans. When we walked out we had at least 10 people with us including those three. We had about 35 people leaving with Clan info. We had a Robertson from Scotland visit the tent for a while and he too took some info. Greenmead park is an old farm and has been turned into a very large area for events. On the property are historical buildings that have been moved there to make a small village. This includes a Church, a Country Store, and a School. I would inspire anyone who could make it to the Lavonia Games next year (the first weekend in August) to do so. Kathy, V.P. of Indiana, was there for the Bagpipe competition she and her band were in, and her Husband supplied us with dulcimer music all day, which drew a lot people in. Great Times.
Page 5 Columbus, Indiana Games John Hammond set up a nice clan tent. His focus is on clan history and the battles they were a part of. Waukesha Wisconsin Highland Games Another successful event at the Expo Center on Labor Day weekend, with highest Clan participation on Saturday. Thanks to all who helped! Our membership increased this year by 43 new members and 53 of you renewed your membership. Our renewal rate was consistent with past years, but our new membership growth was considerably higher. Welcome to our new members and give a big thank you to our renewing members. Without your support and contributions, we would not be able to continue. We look forward to seeing you this coming year. I would also like to thank the Hosts at each of the games for their outstanding efforts in making sure Clan Donnachaidh was well represented. Their continual enthusiasm and genuine spirit of sharing their Scottish heritage contributes greatly in encouraging those attending to join us, as well as the enjoyment of the day for those staffing the tent as well Patricia Wilber Patricia Wilber 2016 Membership Report WANT SOMETHING SPECIAL? VISIT CLANDONNACHAIDH.ORG MERCHANDISE OR BUY.CLANDONNACHAIDH.ORG FOR THOSE ONE OF A KIND UNIQUE ITEMS THAT MAKE YOUR GIFT SPECIAL
Page 6 Our Cruise On The River Waiting to board our riverboat View of the Spirit of Peoria wheelhouse Spirit of Peoria with its fully functional paddle wheel Michael Fleming pipes the group aboard ship! Clan members enjoy a view of the Illinois river Bald eagles spotted on the beach in the distance
Page 7 Annual General Meeting President Bill Reid and Secretary Lynn Wood Membership Chair Patricia Wilber Minn. VP, Jon Carlson Dinner At Alexander s Steakhouse Guests enjoy great food. Great final event of the weekend. Plenty of appetizing offerings.
Page 8 Behind the Scenes at the 30th Anniversary Celebration By Gordon Wilber, founding member and Past President, CDSUM A weekend in Peoria for a birthday celebration. Although Peoria does not sound like a prime location for a celebratory event, the folks at the Marriott Pere Marquette hotel certainly surprised us. Our accommodations were everything you should expect from a five star hotel. The staff friendly and very helpful. Being part of the advance team of the Celebration committee, we checked in early to insure we were prepared to greet our fellow clansmen and women. Our rooms weren t ready but that did Marriott Pere Marquette - Ballroom setup not prevent the Bell Staff from unloading our luggage and all the materials we brought for registration and event displays. Everything was delivered to its proper location while we enjoyed a tasty lunch in the Bistro. Because of the Marriott Staff efforts, we were able to set-up and be ready to register our members with plenty of time to relax and enjoy our afternoon and evening with friends and fellow members. Several of the clan chose to enjoy an impromptu pub crawl after dinner and enjoyed a couple of Irish whiskies in the local pubs, yes, most of us were kilted. Saturday dawned fair with promising weather for the day Entrance to the ballroom as we gathered for the trip down to the river and the Spirit of Peoria. About half of our members elected to walk the four blocks down Main St to the river while the rest of the members chose to make the trip in the hotel shuttle. The walkers included Michael Flemming and Kathy Hart. Michael and Kathy both carried their pipes along with them so our shuttle riding members along with the rest of the luncheon guests were greeted with the skirl of the pipes as they arrived. A hearty luncheon of baked ham, chicken and dumplings was served on departure from the dock. After lunch, we had our choice of listening to the Dixieland jazz combo or the skirl of our pipers. All and all it was a festive afternoon even though Mother Nature failed to provide the brilliant fall colors we hoped to see. The cruise over, we scurried back to the hotel for the afternoon business meeting. Bill Reid rapped the gavel and brought the meeting to order promptly at two PM. A short but pointed business meeting then followed. See the meeting minutes for more information as all I will say here is the meeting adjourned at 2:40 PM giving all the members a chance to rest and refresh be- Continued on page 9...
Page 9...Continued from Page 8 Behind the Scenes Dinner was prepared and served by the staff at Alexander s Steakhouse. The location for dinner was selected on the recommendation of Dick and Brenda Robertson and a wonderful suggestion it was. The committee wishes to extend to them this public acknowledgement for helping in the planning of this event. Dinner over, we returned to the La Salle Ballroom where the rest of the evening was filled with the sound of the pipes, member s voices raised in song, the chords from Bob Hart s dulcimer, and just a wee dram or two of whiskey. Our gratitude to the members of the planning committee: Tiffany Kuhl, Jessie Reid, Lynn Wood and Chair Person Patricia Wilber for their efforts and the great weekend they arranged. Plan to attend our next celebration in 2021 when we ll have enjoyed 35 years of family fellowship. If you have ideas for this celebration or would like to be involved in its planning, please contact your council or email us at http://clandonnachaidh.org/contactus.html. Presidents Message One more year of clan tent activity has passed into history. We had an excellent year at the Upper Midwest Highland games and had a wonderful chance to meet new friends as well as reconnect with old friends. We also added many new members as well. Membership is what allows us to be visible at the Highland Games and we are thankful for all those who have joined or ranks of family and friends. We also celebrated or 30 th Anniversary as a regional branch. The Clan Donnachaidh is the oldest Society among the Scottish Clans, however the Clan Donnachaidh Society Upper Midwest is somewhat new. I invite you to read more about both the Society and our Branch at our web site. We celebrated our 30 th this year at our Annual General Meeting (AGM) and had a wonderful time. Full of activities good food and social time. I want to congratulate and thank the organizing committee for putting on an exceptional event. We now transition in to the holiday season with many great Scottish traditions and Thanksgiving an American tradition with opportunities to be with family and friends. I wish all of you the very best and hope to see you next year at the Games. Bill Reid, President William Reid
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Page 11 WWW.CLANDONNACHAIDH.ORG CLAN OFFICERS BILL REID, PRESIDENT JOHN REID, TREASURER, V.P.-ILLINOIS PATRICIA WILBER, MEMBERSHIP CHAIRMAN LYNN WOOD, SECRETARY BOB ROBERTSON, V.P.-ILLINOIS KATHY HART, V.P.- INDIANA BOB DUNCAN, V.P. IOWA RUSS READ, V.P. WISCONSIN LUKE ROBERTSON, V.P. MICHIGAN JON CARLSON, V.P.- MINNESOTA GORDON WILBER, PRES. EMERITUS BEN KUHL, PUBLICISIT & WEBMASTER JAMES ROBERTSON WARD, NEWSLETTER EDITOR CLAN TRUSTEES JESSIE READ TIFFANY KUHL PATRICIA WILBER CLAN COUNCIL CLAN OFFICERS & TRUSTEES, PLUS DICK & BRENDA ROBERTSON MARY JANE ROBERTSON LIZ REID Clan Donnachaidh Society Upper Midwest Clan Donnachaidh Society Upper Midwest History Clan Donnachaidh Society Upper Midwest (CDSUM) was established in 1986 by Gordon and Patricia Wilber along with Joanne Reid and Phillis Anderson. They initially gathered about 12 people the Wilber s town house in Hoffman Estates to begin the task creating Clan Donnachaidh Upper Midwest. The first thing they did was man a table at the Scottish Fair in the Irish American Center in Chicago. There more people signed up. By the end of 1986 the by-laws were written and Clan Donnachaidh Society Upper Midwest was officially established! Clan Donnachaidh Society, Pacific Northwest donated 3 dirks, which were raffled to raise funds for the newly established society. Since that time, the clan created the Clishmaclaver for all Clan members to keep up to date with Clan activities. Gordon and Patricia also began the "Taste of Scotland" at their home. This gave everyone a reason to get together, sample authentic Scottish foods, and of course, a dram or two of single malt scotch. In February 1990, Gordon and Patricia along with Marge Hale and the rest of the CDSUM members hosted the North American Conference of Clan Donnachaidh Presidents in Chicago. Alexander Gilbert Haldane Robertson of Struan (Chief of Clan Donnachaidh) found out about the event and wished to participate, which he did. Struan also returned in February 1993 for a 5 branch tour to kick off the centenary year. Our members represented CDSUM well during the Celebration in Pitlochry Scotland. CDSUM turned twenty five in 2011 with a celebration dinner on the Milwaukee River. The event was arranged by Russ and Jessie Read. This year we celebrated our Thirtieth anniversary with a luncheon cruise on the Illinois River at Peoria. Since its founding, CDSUM has continued to grow. We have active members in the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. We currently man CDSUM tents at nine games across our territory. Clan Donnachaidh Society Upper Midwest James Robertson Ward, Clishmaclaver editor 893 Saddlewood Drive Glen Ellyn IL 60137