November 2014
Greetings, Gentlemen of the Society:
The fall began with a momentous and historic event in the “Rooms”. We all enjoyed the delicious BBQ sponsored by the Executive Committee and the debate on the Scottish referendum for independence. Many thanks to Dr. MacDowell and Barbara, 1st VP Newell and those who assisted in the fine BBQ. Moderator Andrew Paterson and debaters James Sinkins and James McPhee made this a very special event. The event is posted in the “News” section on the website with links and a picture.
This year has gone by fast for me. I have many people to thank for helping to continue our successes for helping to accomplish many goals including putting the Society in the spotlight. It is you the members that make things happen with your new ideas and devotion to Society.
This past April after marching in the Tartan Day Parade in NYC, Rich Hixon, Bill and Catherine Burke and I attended the three-hour spectacular tattoo. Among the entertainers was a beautiful woman with a voice like an angel, Scottish-born singer, Lesley Craigie. I said to Rich, “Wouldn’t it be nice if she could come to Albany”. Rich replied, “Fat chance”. She started by singing the Star Spangled Banner with the West Point Hellcats and performed Scottish songs with award-winning Scottish Harpist Haley Hewitt and 65 bagpipers from Scotland. Surprisingly, she contacted our web site. She accepted our invitation to sing at our St. Andrew’s Nicht Celebration on December 1st. Another amazing, historic night is in the making!
Aye yours,
Pat
News
Ms. Lesley Craigie will perform for us at our St. Andrew’s night dinner. She is a graduate of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) where she received her Master’s Degree in Classical Singing and Opera. She has won many Scots Song prizes and scholarships including the Linn Choir Prize at the National Scots Song Competition and a Sir James Caird Traveling Scholarship. In 2004 she moved to the USA to continue her studies at the Johns Hopkins Institute in Baltimore, where she received a scholarship from the St. Andrews Society in Washington DC. In 2009 she sang at Capitol Hill for Alex Salmond’s first meeting with President Obama as part of the Scottish Caucus meeting and since has sung at many events, including the American Scottish Society and the NY Caledonian Society.
National Trust for Scotland USA Foundation – We recently met with Helen E. R. Sayles, Chairman of the “Trust.” She stated the Society’s membership in the “Circle of St. Andrew”, which gave us access to the Trust’s sites in Scotland, will no longer be free. She said this is the primary money-maker in the U.S. and they had a loss of over $250,000 by giving it away. She also stated we were the largest contributor in the purchase of the blunderbuss from the Battle of Culloden that honored the Society and James A. Clark Jr.
2015 Annual Membership Dues are due in November: $250 for resident members, $150 for Resident Members under age 35 and $50 for non-resident members. It is very time-consuming for the Treasurer and Secretary to repeatedly send out delinquent dues letters. Any member six or more months delinquent in payment of his fees, dues or assessments, shall be deemed to be not in good standing and you may jeopardize certain member benefits and rights. In the dues notice there will be separate lines for additional contributions to the Society and the Robert Tunnicliffe Heritage Foundation. These contributions are tax-deductible. Thanks to those members who have made extra contributions in the past.
St. Andrew’s Society of the City of Albany Foundation – Past President Roger Creighton has established The St. Andrew’s Society of the City of Albany Foundation for the Preservation of Historic Scottish Monuments in the City of Albany – A Foundation Established in Memory of Martha Creighton. The purpose of the Foundation is to prevent the long-term deterioration of the Burns monument in Washington Park; the Joseph Henry statue in Academy Park; and the three monuments in Albany Rural Cemetery: the St. Andrew, the 1881 St. Andrew’s Cross, and the Caledonia Club monument. The Foundation will be governed by a board nominated by the Past Presidents and elected by Society members. The Board of Managers approved the establishment of the Foundation and the general membership endorsed the Managers’ action at the September meeting. The Foundation Board will be elected at our November stated meeting.
Malt Tasting – A “Tasting” was held at the Rooms on September 30th. Thanks to Ed Lass and ReJean De Vaux for presenting two very fine tasting malts with wonderful cheeses.
Report of Nominating Committee – 2014
In accordance with Article 22 of the Constitution, the Past Presidents serving as the Nominating Committee, put forward the following slate of nominees for Officers of the Society for 2015:
| President – Patrick D. Foy
1st Vice President – Bruce C. Newell |
Board of Managers:
Willard A. Bruce |
Upcoming Events
Stated Meeting of the Society, Thursday, November 13 at 7:00 p.m. Elections of Officers, nominating new members, nominations for the Board of the Monument Preservation and celebration to honor our fellow member veterans. Veterans are encouraged to wear their uniforms, or parts thereof, bring something from their service days and briefly talk.
St. Andrew’s Nicht Celebration Monday December 1, 2014 – To be held at the Fort Orange Club. Reception and cocktails to commence at the Rooms at 6:00 pm and parade to the FOC at 7:00 pm. Invitations will be forthcoming soon and will be available at the November 13th meeting and on the website.
Burns Night – The Burns Celebration is tentatively scheduled for Thursday January 22, 2015. 2nd VP Dr. Dick MacDowell will have more information at the November 13th meeting.
Roster Changes
| Roger L. Creighton – New Contact Information Atria Lafayette, 1545 Pleasant Hill Road, Lafayette, CA 94549 h: 925-988-6976 James A. Burns – New Address, Delete Phone Number James Kenneth Hare – New Contact Information |
Matthew G. Waschull – New Address P. O. Box 43, Morristown NJ 07961 Remove from the Roster: Matthew D. Anderson |