2018 12th Annual Dinner and Club Update

Well, we pulled off another one.  Where this year we had less people attending, it appears that many other Burns clubs also had fewer guests and many other unrelated events suffered as well. For example, the Medicine Hat Lodge expected 250 for New Years Eve but only had about 130. It is suspected this relates to the economy which appears (hopefully) to be coming back, but who knows. In any event, from most reports received those who did attend our function had a grand time.  Special thanks to the many Club members who attended, and or supported this year’s event including 2018 Dinner Chair, Rob Cowan, Bill Cocks, Malcolm Sissons, Steve Nevin, Kristina Shoesmith (Scotch bar manager), Steve Kelly, Fernando Martins, Wayne Smith, Murdo McLeod, Jan Joubert, Dave Millburn, Andy Cowan, Kevin Conrad, Mathew Hill, Ted Clugston, Jock Reid, Stewart Kennedy, Craig Elder, Blake Shaw and Scott Stenbeck. Hope I didn’t miss anyone.   

Master of Ceremonies, Steve Nevin Bringing in the Flags

Also, special thanks to our sponsors including Craig Elder, Power Loney Paralegal, SPCA, The Scottish Shoppe in Calgary, Paul Howe Liquor Stores, Blake Shaw, Mathew Hill, Stenbeck Law, Farro’s Pizza, Core Association, and Wayne Smith & Rita Bessant.

Further, special thanks to Steve Nevin who acted as this year’s MC. Very well done keeping everything on track and on time.

Where we have been pushing for members to be more involved with the Club and its events, special hats off to Mathew Hill! Mathew not only purchased a table, he set up our Face book page and also stepped up to be a sponsor. Further, he undertook to learn and properly present `The Address to the Haggis’, and where Mathew has done `A Mans A Man’ in the past, with the Address, he nailed it! 

All attending were VERY impressed, and this included Address veterans Bill Cocks and Colonel Marcus Evans, Commander BATUS who went out of his way to give Mathew personal congratulations. I understand Joan Kennedy videotaped that presentation and it has or will be going on YouTube and our Club website. Well done Mathew!

Mathew Hill & The Address to the Haggis President Bill & Col. Marcus give Congrats

A special presentation was also made to Colonel Marcus as he has been very kind to our Club by supporting the Club and allowing the annual British army band to play gratis at our Jolly Beggars event although his schedule has always conflicted with military exercises at the base and he has never been able to attend a Jolly Beggars Banquet himself. We also understand he will be going back to the UK in June or July so will again be unable to attend.

President Bill invests Col. Marcus A proud new Cronie

The first year of special entertainment the Club had a piper from the Scots Guards. Last year we had a quartet from the Band of the Corp of the Royal Engineers, and this year we are attempting to line up a quartet from the 2018 band coming over, the Band of the Royal Logistical Corp. As a result of the Commander BATUS assisting our Club, and Colonel Marcus being unable to attend any of our Jolly Beggar events, President Bill made him a Honourary Cronie and invested him with our Order of the Monkey, which he later told me he will treasure forever.

Also special thanks to Blake Shaw, club Scotch Steward for another fine selection of Scotch and to Kristina and Tasha for running the Scotch Bar. Thanks to our girls we again did well on whisky sales and the raffle.

Murdo McLeod, The Piano man Nothing like a good fling!!!

Special thanks also to Murdo McLeod, a newer member who is also our first Club pianist. A very talented fellow, Murdo, you did a great job with the background music and your efforts and talents are appreciated.

Major Kenny McMillan MBE (the Immortal Memory), LCol. Mike Onieu CD, Base Commander CFB Suffield, LCol. Shawn Thirlwell CD, Commanding Officer, South Alberta Light Horse,

Col. Marcus Evans, Commander BATUS (Chieftains o the Nicht) and Ken. Note Kenny McMillan and Mike Onieu are also Club Cronies.

Here comes the band!!! Pipe on….

The South Alberta Pipes & Drums came through as usual and as usual put on a great show. So, there’s my official thanks. If I missed someone, sorry! 

    RBANA President Colin Harris assists Tasha with the raffle

We were also privileged to have Colin Harris, the president of RBANA from Winnipeg attend our event. Colin has been around to attend many Burns events and it was nice and appreciated to see him make the effort to be here for ours.

                   Andy Cowan wins a Quaich Rob Cowan wins the flask

This year’s raffle changed a bit as we added a tartan wool blanket and a pewter flask. The only thing that didn’t change was that Clan Cowan continue to be regular winners.

The night ‘formally’ ends with hands entwined and Auld Lang Syne

Backtracking, President Bill and I attended the Calgary Burns Club (CBC) 42nd dinner in Calgary on 19 January. This was a special occasion as Jane Brown, our Club Patron presented the Immortal Memory. Of note, this is a men’s only dinner that this year sat about 540 men (they were down in numbers as well, as they traditionally have sat over 700). 

Colin Harris, RBANA president, Bill Cocks, Jane Brown, Cameron McDonnell, Edmonton Burns Club President, Trekker Armstrong, Calgary Burns Club President and Ken.

Note that Cameron’s wearing his monkey and Trekker is also one of our Cronies.

Jane was a hit and it is noted that Jane was the first female ever to be invited by the CBC to present the Immortal Memory. RBANA president Colin Harris also attended this event. It is noted that Cameron McDonnell from Edmonton

is wearing his Order of the Monkey, and Trekker Armstrong, the CBC president is also a Cronie and a well known friend of our Club.   

Captain Gregor Beaton being congratulated and recognized for his presentation of Tam o’ Shanter

Yours truly was also privileged to attend the Burns Dinner at the Combined Garrisons Officers’ Mess at CFB Suffield on Tuesday, 23 January. Where the Mess, as usual hosted a wonderful event it was a treat to hear Tam o’ Shanter done by a newer arrival to BATUS, young Royal Artillery Captain Gregor Beaton from Alloa, Scotland. Gregor also attended our event and I was pleased to be able to present him with an autographed copy of James Thomson’s recent publication ‘In and out of Tam o’ Shanter’, a great book that breaks that poem down and clarifies the locations and personalities referred to. Gregor looks forward to being involved with the Club. President Bill, to his credit then whisked off to Winnipeg on Wednesday, 24 January where the next evening (Thursday, 25 January) he presented the Immortal Memory at the Winnipeg Burns Club’s annual dinner, noted to be their 111th.  Bill and Colin then hurried back to the Hat to be at our dinner. Thanks for the dedication and effort Bill, you did us proud.   Once we get all the photos cropped and sorted they will be posted on our website. Also, a copy of our 2018 program will also be placed on our website for the review of those interested and for those who missed the dinner.  It also appears we may have signed up four or five new members. Here I am especially pleased as where we have worked so hard to be internationally recognized, as we are, that is only due to the efforts and support of those Club

members who seek the common goal of having fun and pursuing common interests relating to Burns and Scottish culture, and if we can get other like minded individuals to join our ranks we can only be better. Last, we now look to Philadelphia and the 2018 Robert Burns Association of North America (RBANA) AGM which will be held in April. If all goes well it is anticipated I will become the next RBANA president at that AGM. Where our current Vice President Andy Harrower is currently one of the three Canadian directors for RBANA, I feel this would be another feather in our Club’s cap.

Where I see we have a few members already lined up to attend, if interested please let me know ASAP as we are getting very close to booking airline tickets and rooms. I see return tickets are just over $500.00 including taxes, so that’s not too bad. I also note that when we were in Dallas, where the Jolly Beggars attending stormed the Grassy Knoll at Dealy Plaza, this year we will be doing our victory pose on the Rocky steps at the Philadelphia Art Museum,  Hope you can join us. Then, we have the Robert Burns World Federation (RBWF) AGM at Irvine, Scotland (the heart of Burns country) in early September. Here we are planning our own special Tam’ tour at Alloway, more on that later. So, other than scheduling our AGM for sometime in March, that’s it for now. All the best and yours in Burns,

Ken MontgomerySecretaryMedicine Hat Burns Club

Last a wee cartoon from our Club piper………….