Greetings  Members,

June is here and the beginning of summer is on us. Many of you will be enjoying the large number of festivals throughout the region this summer and I hope everyone has a great time.

In June we will be having a SST brunch at Pipes and Pints Pub in Williamsburg on Sunday the 27^th at 1 PM. I do hope we will see a lot of you at this event.

As the Virginia Beach Central Library is closed for renovations, we will not have a general meeting in June; however, we will return to the library in July.

A number of future events are in the planning stages. First up will be the Society picnic. A location is yet to be determined for this event but it will be in September. Also in September we will host a tent at the Williamsburg Scottish Festival at the Jamestown campground, on September 25. This is a new location for this event.

We are presently planning our Christmas Celidh and Silent Auction as well, which will be held on Wednesday, December 1. We are looking at a larger event than in the past but it will be a memorable event.

Also in the planning stages is the annual society bus trip to Alexandria for the Christmas Walk in December. Manny Willis is again in charge of this event. If you are thinking of going do let Manny know.

I would like to thank Jeanne and Bob Rider for volunteering to be the chairs of the annual Tartan Day event. They need volunteers to help them so please let them know if you can help in any way.

I would like to welcome all of our new members to the society. I hope you come out and enjoy these events and hope you will get involved.

Yours Aye,
Mike

Back

Are you active duty or retired military? Are you of Scottish descent? Are you interested in preserving Scottish American military history? If so, then SAMS wants you!

SAMS stands for Scottish American Military Society. The organization seeks to preserve and promote Scottish and American Armed Forces customs, traditions, and heritage.

Scottish history enthusiast, Vietnam Veteran and retired Navy Chief Petty Officer, Larry McCauley is working to re-organize and re-invigorate a SAMS Post in Hampton Roads.

"We have such a high percentage of active duty and retired military in this area," said McCauley. "We deserve an active SAMS chapter, and I think this area could support it."

McCauley is trying to resurrect the SAMS Post #76. Ten members are needed to form a Post. He recently hosted a reorganization meeting at his home, and was pleased by the response. About a dozen potential members and current members showed up to enjoy a BBQ and to brainstorm ideas on the future of the Post.

Members of the Post elected officers, but several vacancies remain. They also voted to allow spouses of members to serve as associate members.

Recently, the Post took part in a wreath-laying at the Tidewater Veterans Memorial on Memorial Day with other Veterans’ organizations in the Hampton Roads area.

Among some of the future activities that SAMS has planned are to provide a color guard for the Williamsburg Scottish Festival in September, to march in the Yorktown Victory Parade in October, as well as the local Veteran's Day Parade.

McCauley's goal is to raise awareness of SAMS, increase membership rolls and raise money to establish a Scholarship fund.

Nationally, SAMS was founded as a veteran's organization. The membership is composed of veterans of Scottish ancestry who have served -- or are serving -- in any branch of the US Armed Forces.

Membership is open to honorably discharged veterans or active duty or reserve military persons who have served or are serving with any branch of the US Armed Forces. Honorary life memberships are awarded to members who have been awarded the Medal of Honor or the Victoria Cross.

SAMS was founded and chartered in North Carolina, April 12, 1981, as a non-profit organization formed to preserve and promote Scottish and American Armed Forces customs, traditions, and heritage, by:

  Providing a forum for exchange of military history and genealogical information.
  Conducting public education programs.
  Presenting military student honor awards.
  Supporting Scottish activities at Highland Games.
  Making contributions to qualified scholarship funds or institutions.
  Making appropriate charitable contributions.
  Providing a fraternal atmosphere for members.

The required documentation is a copy of a DD214 to prove to the I.R.S. that you have served in the armed forces within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) I.R.C. If no DD214 is available, then something equivalent; i.e., both sides of a current ID card or a copy of other published orders listing you. Please make sure all items are clear and readable.

Interested in joining
SAMS Post #76?
Contact Larry McCauley at lmccaule@bellatlantic.net

The Scottish Society of Tidewater recently awarded the 2004 Richard S. Baird Scholarship to two local enthusiasts of Scottish culture.

One of the recipients is Lynnette Fitch, a longtime Scottish and Irish Society activist in the Hampton Roads area. Lynnette was awarded funds to help offset her tuition costs to attend St. Ann’s Gaelic College in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia this summer. Lynnette plans to study both Scots Gaelic and Scottish Step Dancing at St. Ann’s.

Jennifer Beebe is a student at Norfolk State University. She will use her Baird Scholarship award to help offset costs to study Scottish Literature at Norfolk State University this fall.

The purpose of the Baird Scholarship is to provide financial support toward the study of Scottish culture. This includes, but is not limited to, Scottish music, dance, language, literature, history, genealogy, politics and religion.

The Scholarship is named in memory of Richard Baird, a long-time member and former president of the SST.

Next year’s applications will be mailed in January. Applications are also available for download from the SST website.

June is upon us, and traditionally that means the wedding season is here. We are all familiar with American wedding customs, but have you ever wondered how your Scottish ancestors tied the knot? Here are a few interesting tidbits on Scottish nuptials.

  According to Gaelic tradition it is unlucky to marry in the month of May or during a waning moon.
  From pre-Christian times until the late eighteenth century the custom of "handfasting" was observed. A couple would live together for a year and a day, at which time they could decide whether to part or make a lifelong commitment. It was considered more important for the bride to be experienced and fertile than to be a virgin.
  Unlike many other European cultures, in Gaelic society the desire and opinion of the woman as to whom she would marry was taken into consideration. At the "réiteach," or formal betrothal, the father of the bride-to-be would declare: "Ma tha ise deònach, tha mise ro-dheònach, agus mura bi sin mar sin, cha bhi seo mar seo!" which means, "If she is willing, I am very willing and if that weren't so, then this wouldn't be so!"
  On their way to the church, if the wedding procession encountered a funeral or a pig on the way, it was considered bad luck and they would return home and set out again.
  Celtic practices were part of ceremonies for many hundreds of years and had roots in pagan rituals. Tying the knot originated from the bride and groom ripping their wedding plaids (clan tartans) and tying the two strips together as a symbol of the unity of the two families.
  In the old days, the groom's cake was a fruit cake, symbolizing virility/fertility, and the bride's cake a white cake, symbolizing purity.
  A Scottish "Penny Wedding" is a wedding in which guests are expected to bring their own food and drinks to the church or hall to celebrate after the ceremony is over. This custom still exists in some areas of Scotland.
  On Barra, it was traditional to sprinkle water on the marriage bed and bless it. In Mull, it was customary that the young couple sleep in a barn for their first night and in Lewis they lived for a week with the bride's parents before going to their own home.

The City of Virginia Beach Heritage Day was held Wed. May 12 at Princess Anne Recreation Center. There were representatives from many cultures such as Scotland, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, Turkey, Africa, India, Philippines, and Native America. Some cultures did native performances. Rob Lockwood (above left) had a short "gig" piping, while Nancy Miller (center) and John Wallace (above right) participated in a "fashion show."

April 4^th dawned brisk and windy, but that didn’t stop our local Scottish and Celtic community from gathering to celebrate Tartan Day 2004 at Kellam High School in Virginia Beach.

Attendees enjoyed many Celtic-themed performers, including An Cor Rud, which is Irish Gaelic for "the reel thing." The dancers performed some Scottish Country Dances, as well as Irish and Scottish Step Dancing. They were a big hit with the crowd.

Other performers included the Churchland High School Choir, directed by Susan Cocke. The students beautifully performed choral music from the British Isles, and they did such a great job that the SST has invited them to perform at the Silent Auction and Christmas Ceilidh in December.

The acoustic Celtic folk group Leigheas, made up of three local medical school students, performed traditional Scottish and Celtic tunes and ballads.

Skip Hunter provided mini Scots Gaelic lessons throughout the day. Some visitors were surprised to learn that there is a Scots Gaelic Society in Tidewater, and planned to enroll in the beginning class this October.

There was only one vendor on hand, but the proprietor, Mary Fien, reported brisk sales, and hopes to participate in Tartan Day next year.

We were pleased to welcome the Tidewater Irish American Society (TIAS) again this year. Their informational table enjoyed a steady stream of inquisitive visitors.

Local authors Randy Bruce (The Rebel King) and Lauren Wittig (The Devil of Kilmartin), were available to sell and autograph their books. It sure is fun to have two literary celebrities in our midst!

Thanks to Genene Butler, Dean Butler, and Chris Thomas for doing such a great job with hospitality. They provided excellent service and complimentary yummy treats all day. What a nice touch!

Many visitors enjoyed the 2^nd Annual Amateur Piping Competition, sponsored by the TP&D. Those who braved the cold temps outside heard some truly awesome piping.

Unfortunately, the much-anticipated rugby match, featuring the Norfolk Blues Rugby Team, was cancelled by Kellam HS because they feared the match would damage the rain-soaked fields. However, the Norfolk Blues are already on board for next year, which is great news.

Once again CG and Nancy Miller did an outstanding job with the Great Kilt demonstration. Many Churchland HS students tried on the Great Kilt, and appeared to be having a blast. Several of the students also stopped by the SST & TIAS tables to learn more about the origin of their surnames. It was heartening to see so many young people show an interest in their Celtic heritage.

This year, the Tartan Day Committee decided that admittance would be free of charge. While we therefore didn’t generate any revenue at the door, attendees were very generous nonetheless, contributing funds to help offset costs to the hospitality table, and purchasing raffle tickets to win a magnificent Scottish sword. Thanks to Celtic Connection for donating the sword. We are so appreciative of their support.

By all accounts, participants and attendees to the 2004 Tartan Day Festival had a great time. The variety of entertainment and the hospitality table were some of the highlights that folks enjoyed the most.

Thanks to Mike Lawler for the hard work and last minute "wheeling and dealing" to pull this off. Without him, we may not have had a Tartan Day festival at all. We are all very grateful.

Don’t miss Tartan Day 2005! We are already planning to make it the most successful event so far!

Bob and Jeanne Rider are the Tartan Day Committee Co-Chairs for the 2005 Tartan Day Festival.
If you want to be involved contact them at TartanDay@tidewaterscots.org

The Tidewater Scots Newsletter recently tied for first place in a national newsletter competition.

The annual competition was sponsored by the Ellen Payne Odom Genealogy Library of Moultrie, Georgia. Tidewater Scots, which consists of SST's Thistledown, edited by Marcey Burton, and the St. Andrew's Society's Tidalaire, edited by Carolyn Barkley, tied for first place with the newsletter of the St. Andrew's Society of Maine in the best St. Andrew’s Magazine category.

Some readers may remember that the Thistledown won 2nd place in 2000 in the category of Scottish Societies other than clans.

In addition, the newsletter of the Clan Chisholm Society, USA Branch, which Marcey also edits, won first place in the category of clan society newsletters under 10 pages.

Taking top honors overall was the Clan Arthur Association’s newsletter, "The Round Table."

To see the competition results, and to see where your clan association may have placed, go to www.electricscotland.com/familytree/magazine/junjul2004/newsletters.htm

Tidewater Pipes & Drums and the City of Norfolk hosted a Kilt Dedication & Memorial Service on April 4 at The MacArthur Memorial.

The event, which took place the day before the 40^th anniversary of Gen. MacArthur's death and two days before National Tartan Day, featured a performance by the band, a "blessing" of its new Ancient MacArthur kilts, and a wreath-laying ceremony at the resting place of Gen. Douglas MacArthur and his wife, Jean.

The event began with a performance of "Scotland The Brave," and opening remarks by Scott Alexander, the band’s president. The band then offered a military tribute with a medley of service hymns performed by pipers Bill Wagner, Tim French, Jeff Christman and Glenn Kelso, and Drum Sergeant Ted Van Horn.

Christman then called forward former Marine Raider George MacRae, tenor drummer, who retired from the band on April 4 after more than 20 years of service. The band presented him with a silver quaich and performed, "MacRae Meadow," in his honor.

Pastor Arthur Jensen of Ocean View Presbyterian Church offered a blessing of the MacArthur tartan, and the band performed "Amazing Grace." The event ended with closing remarks from Col. Bill Davis, director of The MacArthur Memorial, and a wreath-laying ceremony inside the memorial, complete with a solo pipe rendition of "Flowers of the Forest."

Norfolk Mayor Paul D. Fraim did not attend but sent the band a letter of congratulations.

"Thank you for your dedication and commitment in presenting such inspiring music to the citizens of Norfolk and throughout the Hampton Roads area," he wrote. "The Tidewater Pipes and Drums is a regional asset of which we are very proud, and we look forward to enjoying the sweet sounds of your band for many years to come."

The event was videotaped and aired on Norfolk Channel 48 for two weeks in April. Professional photographs documenting the event are available at: http://tpandd.exis.net/MacArthur.html

Tidewater Pipes & Drums adopted the Ancient MacArthur tartan in 2004 to honor Gen. MacArthur and the band's strong ties to Norfolk and the U.S. military. The kilts, made by Lochcarron and purchased from Linda Clifford of Maine, cost more than $15,000 and were funded partly with a donation from BB&T.

Various And Sundry Whisky News

Whisky Magazine recently listed the top 10 single malts.

The top 10 malts were as follows:

 1.     The Macallan 18 year old
 2.     Talisker 20 year old
 3.     Springbank 35 year old
 4.     Highland Park 18 year old
 5.     Ardbeg Provenance
 6.     The Macallan Gran Reverva 18 year old
 7.     Lagavulin 16 year old
 8.     The Macallan 50 year old Millennium
 9.     The Macallan 30 year old
10.     Longmorn 25 year old

Some of the above whiskies may be available through the Virginia ABC system. Contact your local seller of spirits for more information.

Any of these whiskies would be the perfect Father’s Day gift for the single-malt loving Dad!

Cardhu Pure Malt

Diagio Corp, a leading distributor of beverages, announced that they were not going to convert Cardhu single malt to a pure malt but would continue to bottle Cardhu as a single malt whisky. They also stated that they would be introducing a new bottling of a pure malt.

According to various magazines, the retreat from making Cardhu a pure malt is because distillers are pushing to reserve the use of a "Distillery" name only on bottles of Single Malt whisky. How true this is remains to be seen.

More Scapa, anyone?

Good news for Single malt fans. Allied distributing is going to invest to improve two of their distilleries. They will be investing millions in the Scapa distillery with a plan to make it go into full time production. Presently they only are functional for a small portion of the year.

They will also be investing in their Glen Dronach distillery. Both distilleries were in danger of having all production terminated.

Plenty of Islay to go around

Additional good news for Islay fans. There is a new kid on the block. It will be named Kitchomen Distillery. This distillery is being built from the ground up and is on the western coast of the island. It will be a few years before its first bottling will be available.

A farmer's wife who was rather stingy with her whisky, was giving her shepherd a drink. As she handed him his glass, she said it was extra good whisky, being fourteen years old. "Weel mistress," said the old shepherd regarding his glass sorrowfully. "It's very small for its age."