New State Chaplain

Meet our new State Chaplain, Ivan MacKillip. Ivan has been a Eugene Convener for us for several years and a member on Clan Donald for even longer. We are quite pleased that he has accepted this new role with the clan. Look for an occasional post from him here on the blog...he has a lot of clan knowledge and is an all around great guy. If you would like to contact him, you can find his contact information on the Officers page here on the blog and in the 'Signal'.

Busy, Busy...

Hello again, things are hopping around here. We just got back from the All Clans Banquet this last week end, I will have a post with pictures soon. We went up early and helped with last minute prep and of course, set up. We had a good turn out for the event. If you haven't been...join us next year...we have lot's of fun!

Ivan MacKillip, who has been a Eugene convener, has accepted the post of State Chaplain. Watch for a post soon on that also.

Sharon Goff, the Idaho State Commissioner, did the Celtic Festival and Clan Gathering in La Grande, OR this year. I do have pictures to post for that event. She had so much fun that she has agreed to do it again next year! Along with the Athena Caledonian Games. This is a real help for us, as we have trouble making each event in the State...we can get spread a little thin sometimes.

And we as a Region, made every event in the Region this year! Go us!

We also have big news about the PNW Region...I will be posting on that also.

I am busy getting the Signal ready to go out...we have held it back because of the big news mentioned above.

I am also trying to get some artwork done for setting up our own Café Press store...this will not hold the Regional & National items that we sell at the Clan Tents. We are working on getting an online presence for those items, but the National folk move slowly. We will have new items in our store...geared for our Region. I will post when I have got it up and running and will add a link to it for ease of use.

And now back to work I go...

Kate

Edna MacDonald

Edna MacDonald is Oregon's oldest convener...being 100 years young! She has a beautiful home in Redmond where she spends part of the year. She travels to Arizona during the winter months, where she lived a long time and has many friends. She is sharp as a tack and has many stories about Clan Donald and it's members...shhh! I have been sworn to secrecy on those...

We visited with her for several hours on Saturday and then returned to have lunch with her before leaving on Sunday. Todd declared it a conveners meeting and picked her brain for ideas on events to hold and on increasing membership in the clan. She reiterated my thoughts on needing younger members in the clan to keep it vital and alive. We truly enjoyed our time with her.

Douglas County Scottish Festival

Clan Donald was represented by Tammy Soto and Tyler Brotherton at the Winston Highland Games August 17^th and 18^th.  The day started off a little chilly with some dew on the ground and moisture in the air, but it soon warmed up to the usual hot and sunny day. 

 

Tammy manned the tent with her husband and two grand-daughters Brianna age 10 and Peyton age 6.  Both Bree and Peyton felt very important being part of such an event.  Peyton was “in charge” of applying the Clan Donald stamps to the young ones booklets, which she enjoyed very much. 

 

We heard rumors that this was the first year the athletics’ competition included some National competitors, but not being able to leave the tent, Tammy couldn’t confirm.  By the cheering coming from that direction, it was probably true! 

 

Winston is a smaller venue but that just adds to the charm of the whole event.  You can get traditional Scottish food as well a the American choices of BBQ, hamburgers and hot dogs; there was even a coffee cart there.  Tammy and Peyton’s favorite was the Hawaiian Shaved Ice, which was just across the green from the Clan Tent in the line of sight and tempted them into a couple servings that day J  

 

Tyler and his family took over the manning of the tent on Sunday which was very much appreciated, so that Tammy could spend time with her sick brother-in-law.  All in all, the weekend was a success and hopefully more Clan Donald members can make it down in the coming years.

Oy!

Life has been busy! We did not make it down to the Douglas County Scottish Festival, but we had several awesome conveners who covered the games for us...so Clan Donald was present, even if Todd and I were not. I have gotten a small write up from one of them that I will post tomorrow. Unfortunately they did not have a chance to get pictures.

We did manage a trip to Redmond last week end and got to spend time with our oldest convener...Edna MacDonald...I will have several pictures to post from that adventure.

I am busy with getting the next Signal put together and out the door in a few short weeks, it should be full of pictures from all the different events from around the region. If there is anything you would like to have added...just drop me a line.

Kate

High Desert Celtic Festival - pictures

Clan Donald & Friends

Diane & Frank

Ginger!

Mike McCormick

NW Scots Guard

 

 

SCA Tent

High Desert Celtic Festival - Todd

Clan Donald attended the 2013 High Desert Celtic Highlander Festival location at the Deschutes County Fair and Expo.

 

Great conversation and support with Mike McCormick, Ginger, William Wallace and other assorted visitors to our Donald Tent.

 

Definitely Celtic spirit was flowing in music and drink. I personally attended the evening Ceili to hear Tara Amadam and got to play a few tunes. Fearless Ale sponsored the beer tent with some whiskeys of various kinds. Darkness soon entailed us all as dancing and music continued into the sliver of a moonlit night. A real close old ways gathering full of well-dressed Celts and poets and jesters.

 

Band breaks of wicked sorts of tattoos, breasts, knobby knees contests. All in good fun as we retired to the grounds to sleep in our tents. A very wonderful scent upon waking of juniper and sage.

 

 

Todd