St. Andrew's Saint Andrew's Society of Oakland Newsletter January 2014 Our ain ills aye hae strength to bear anither's aye hae heart to feel. - - - - - St. Andrew s Society of Oakland c/o Echoes Newsletter Editor 3582 Tumble Way San Jose, CA 95132 Hardcopy of Echoes is printed on 100% recycled paper. 1
A message from President Nancy Wigley HAPPY NEW YEAR! Well, here it is nearly half way through January already festivities are all over and the decorations are put away for another year. I was in Scotland for a week in December to say Merry Christmas to my dad and Steve s mum, which went by really quickly, but I made it back just in time for the installation meeting! What a good night that was with lots of lovely happy people and of course delicious fish and chips! I think you all know by now, ahem. that I am your new President. Colin Ritchie has stepped in to be the Vice President, Ian Myles is still the Treasurer and Martin Deehan is the Secretary for this year. So a BIG thank you to them for the support they continually give the Society. Thanks also go to Gary Croak for carrying on writing and publishing the Echoes anyone who has done this in the past knows how much time and effort it takes to get this to you every month. Joyce Somerville was installed at the meeting as Assistant Treasurer/Secretary, Ann Ciolino is the new Chaplain and has also taken on the duties of Sick/Relief, so thank you Joyce and Ann! I would also like to mention those who helped in putting together all your events in 2013 and those are: Nicola Golden, Alan Purves, Cindy Whitehand, Fiona Smith, Nikki Brown, Charlie Houston, Karen Carmichael, Gail Horn, Ann Kelly, Kenny Lawrence, Ian Myles, Kay Deehan, Martin Deehan Thank you all for your help and (hint, hint) the new Board is hoping that you will carry on organizing! ;) If I have missed anyone, I apologise now and you will be mentioned in next month s Echoes. The Wigley house was full this year for Christmas; our two sons were together again for the first time in over a year, one daughter-in-law and of course me and Steve (as well as three cats!). It felt just right to have everyone here at the same time, however, Andrew and Amber have gone to New Zealand (honeymoon) and Alan has gone back to London. Two weeks of eating, drinking and being merry went by in a flash and it s back to the diet! Haha! (Okay, okay I ll admit that I m finishing off some Cadbury s Milk Tray chocolates whilst I m sitting writing this!) I hope you all had a good Christmas and New Year too, but it s now time to think of the St Andrew s Society of Oakland and what will be happening in 2014. Well, in 2014 I m hoping that I ll get to see lots of members at the meetings, which you know are held every second Tuesday of the month, at 7.30 pm, in Redcoats Pub in Pleasanton. (Sorry, but I have to get a wee nag in somehow!) ;) I m hoping that I ll get to see lots of oor members at oor events that the Entertainment Committee organize..and, mainly, I m hoping that we have lots of fun in 2014! So, I raise a glass to you all for a Guid New Year for fun, laughter and good times! Cheers Nancy 2
SASO Officers for 2014 President: Nancy Wigley 3565 Whitehall Ct, Pleasanton, CA 94588 925 426 8969 / 925 200 0387 (cell) Email: ns_wigley@yahoo.com Vice-President: Colin Ritchie 3008 Ferndale Ct, Pleasanton, CA 94588 925 426 8926 Email: colingritchie@gmail.com Echoes Editor: Gary Croak 3582 Tumble Way, San Jose, CA 95132 408 926 3876 / 408 582 2385 (cell) Email: gcroak@gmail.com Website: www.standrewssocietyofoakland.org Dates For The Diary Secretary: Martin Deehan 4173 Crisfield Lane, Pleasanton 94566 925 484 5220 Email: mvdeehan@gmail.com Treasurer: Ian Myles 38346 Jacaranda Ct, Newark, CA 94560 510 797 9621 / 510 209 2183 (cell) Email: ianmyles@att.net Assistant Treasurer: Joyce Somerville Chaplain and Sick/Relief: Ann Ciolino 2134 Foxswallow Road, Pleasanton 94566 925 484 4794 Email: tciolino@sbcglobal.net Assistant to Chaplain and Sick/Relief: Leslie Moore Historian: Billy Edmiston Flag Bearer: Kenny Lawrence January 2014 Tuesday January 14: St. Andrew's Monthly Meeting Pleasanton Redcoats at 7:30pm ALL welcome and encouraged to attend! Saturday January 25: 20 th Annual PBFSCO Burns Supper (Event Flyer is enclosed) For more information contact Susan Spiegel 650-799-9001 or the website www.pbfsco.org Trustees: Martin Deehan, Ian Myles, Kenny Lawrence, Charlotte Houston, and Nikki Brown 3
February 2014 April 2014 Tuesday February 11: St. Andrew's Monthly Meeting Pleasanton Redcoats at 7:30pm ALL welcome and encouraged to attend! Tuesday April 8: St. Andrew's Monthly Meeting Pleasanton Redcoats at 7:30pm; ALL are welcome and encouraged to attend! HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT Friday February 21: St. Andrew's Society of Oakland Burns Supper (YES! Our very own!) Encinal Yacht Club 1251 Pacific Marina, Alameda Start time is 7:30pm, Dinner at 8:00pm Tickets are $50 per person Contact Nancy Wigley, Colin Ritchie, and/or Ian Myles by February 14 to confirm HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT March 2014 Tuesday March 11: St. Andrew's Monthly Meeting Pleasanton Redcoats at 7:30pm ALL welcome and encouraged to attend! St. Andrew's Society of Oakland Burns Supper We decided to have our Burns night on Friday 21st February at the Encinal Yacht Club. However, we need to make sure that you are committed to attend, because if we don't have enough people, then it will have to be canceled. Ticket price $50, start time 7:30pm, dinner 8:00pm. Please respond to ns_wigley@yahoo.com before the regular SASO meeting on Tuesday 14th January (7:30pm at Redcoats) to say if you are coming and how many will be in your group. Also, it would be nice if you could pay on the night of the meeting too, so if you can bring your checks with you that would be awesome! :) Please include Colin Ritchie, colingritchie@gmail.com and Ian Myles, ianmyles@att.net in your response to Nancy. Society Membership Dues Reminder: Membership dues of $25 per person are payable to Ian Myles if you haven't already. 4
Remembering Robert Burns Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And auld lang syne! For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne. We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet, For auld lang syne. And surely ye'll be your pint stowp! And surely I'll be mine! And we'll tak a cup o'kindness yet, For auld lang syne. We twa hae run about the braes, And pou'd the gowans fine; But we've wander'd mony a weary fit, Sin' auld lang syne. We twa hae paidl'd in the burn, Frae morning sun till dine; But seas between us braid hae roar'd Sin' auld lang syne. And there's a hand, my trusty fere! And gie's a hand o' thine! And we'll tak a right gude-willie waught, For auld lang syne. Early Life Robert Burns was born on 25 January 1759 in the village of Alloway, two miles south of Ayr. His parents, Willian Burnes and Agnes Broun, were tenant farmers but they ensured their son received a relatively good education and he began to read avidly. Hard physical labor on the family farm took its toll on the young Burns, who increasingly turned his attentions towards the passions of poetry, nature, drink and women which would characterize the rest of his life. He fathered twins with eventual wife Jean Armour, but a rift in their relationship nearly led to Burns emigrating to the West Indies with lover Mary Campbell (his Highland Mary). Mary's sudden death and the sensational success of his first published collection of verse kept him in Scotland. At just 27, Burns had already become famous across the country with poems such as To a Louse, To a Mouse and The Cotter's Saturday Night. Late Twenties Newly hailed as the Ploughman Poet because his poems complemented the growing literary taste for romanticism and pastoral pleasures, Burns arrived in Edinburgh, where he was welcomed by a circle of wealthy and important friends. His correspondence with Agnes 'Nancy' McLehose resulted in the classic Ae Fond Kiss. A collaboration with James Johnson led to a longterm involvement in The Scots Musical Museum, which included the likes of Auld Lang Syne. Later Life In just 18 short months, Burns had spent most of the wealth from his published poetry, so in 1789 he began work as an Excise Officer in Dumfries (an irony not lost on him) and resumed his relationship with wife Jean. His increasingly radical political views influenced many of the phenomenal number of poems, songs and letters he continued to pen, including such famous works as For a' that and a' that. The hard work this new job entailed, combined with the toil of his earlier life and dissolute lifestyle began to take their toll on Burns's health. He died on 21 July 1796 aged just 37 and was buried with full civil and military honours on the very day his son Maxwell was born. A memorial edition of his poems was published to raise money for his wife and children. SASO Happenings The last meeting of the year was held December 19, 2013 at Redcoats in Pleasanton. New officers for 2014 were installed, presided over by Alan Purves. The list of new officers is published on page 3 of this newsletter. The next general meeting is to be held January 14, 2014 at Redcoats. 5
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Thanks to Walkers - Visit them on the web at http://www.walkersus.com And to. Wm. Glen & Son bringing you the best of Scotland right here in the United States. 360 Sutter Street, San Francisco, CA 94108 415-989-KILT (5458) wmglenusa.com The store in San Francisco specializes in kilt outfitting, and includes a large variety of imports from Scotland, such as woolen and cashmere sweaters, tweed sports coats, jewelry, pewterware, tartan and clan goods. They also carry many souvenirs from Scotland, as well as perhaps the largest single malt whisky collection in the United States. 8