[Hothir Ethelnor]

Originally Posted by BoldHighlander

They need to update their events section of their website, but you might contact Clan Donald (Ohio) & ask about events your area

I've been to their site.

Looks like they'll be at the Fort Wayne Highland Games, as they were last year. I'll have to catch up with them there.

[AFS1970]

I am not a member of my clans society. I probably have descendants from a couple of clans. Most of what I know comes from what I was told by my mother years ago. I have not done the research myself. My last name is the name of a clan, and for years we thought that was it. One of my uncles did some research and found that that our closest Scottish relative was from another clan.

A few years ago, at a highland games that I was attending, the chair of the clan tent area told me he found the society for my clan and had invited them to Connecticut. I met two members who I think were from Massachusetts, but the society is based down south. I never ended up joining.

This thread made me look further and I found two websites. One is now an add for medication and the other is offline. There is a facebook group, but I am not on that site and never will be. I did find a snail mail address for the society so I may try contacting them.

[kmaclea]

I wanted to give a little more detail to (Greg) Livingston's mention of our nascent Clan Society. We are actively looking to build up our member base--so if you have some affiliation, PM me and I would be happy to discuss things further!

We are considering a mid-year roll-back on dues to encourage people to join in this our first year, so definitely PM me before joining so we don't have you join right before a reduction. But I'd love to gauge interest, so if anyone has thoughts on this, please PM and let's chat.

The details:

We have just begun a new Clan Society, which we are calling the Clan
MacLea (Livingstone) Society with the approval of our Chief, Niall Livingstone.

Our new forum is at: http://www.clanlivingstone.info/forum/index.php

Our Clan Society join page is at:
http://www.clanlivingstone.info/ClanSocietyJoin.htm

We are actively seeking members with such surnames as Livingston,
Livingstone, McLea, Maclay, Mclay, etc.

I will personally be at a couple of Colorado Highland Games events this year, and in the future will probably make events in New England (when/if we move back that way). Drop a line anytime!

All best,

[bdkilted]

I am a member of Clan Keith, and am the Texas convener for Kieth.
Since the Keiths were originally part of Clan Chattam, I am also a member of the Chattam society.
See you at the games.

[Mike_Oettle]

A most interesting thread. I did not vote, but I currently fall into the category of those who do not belong to a clan association.
This is because my surname, being German, has no Scottish connections whatever.
My own Scottish connection is through my mother and her paternal grandfather, who was a Fotheringham. (Fotheringham is in fact my mother’s second name.)
Since the Fotheringhams belong to Clan Lindsay (as it is called nowadays – it is a Lowland family grouping), I am looking into my connections to it.
I may well acquire a Lindsay tartan kilt, and might join one of the two Lindsay associations I found on the internet.
Trouble is, one is in Australia, the other in the US – both pretty far away.
We have two Caledonian societies in the city where I live, but I have never been involved in them. I am unaware of Highland games organised by them either.
But it might be interesting to check into all that – if my very English wife will tolerate it!
And in closing, I should mention that I love the kilt. And it has been all too long since I handed in my regimental kilt. Time I bought at least one!
Regards,
Mike

[cajunscot]

Originally Posted by Mike_Oettle

A most interesting thread. I did not vote, but I currently fall into the category of those who do not belong to a clan association.
This is because my surname, being German, has no Scottish connections whatever.
My own Scottish connection is through my mother and her paternal grandfather, who was a Fotheringham. (Fotheringham is in fact my mother’s second name.)
Since the Fotheringhams belong to Clan Lindsay (as it is called nowadays – it is a Lowland family grouping), I am looking into my connections to it.
I may well acquire a Lindsay tartan kilt, and might join one of the two Lindsay associations I found on the internet.
Trouble is, one is in Australia, the other in the US – both pretty far away.
We have two Caledonian societies in the city where I live, but I have never been involved in them. I am unaware of Highland games organised by them either.
But it might be interesting to check into all that – if my very English wife will tolerate it!
And in closing, I should mention that I love the kilt. And it has been all too long since I handed in my regimental kilt. Time I bought at least one!
Regards,
Mike

Mike,

A good friend of mine in St. Louis is a Past National President of the Clan Lindsay Society USA. If you would like, I would be happy to put you in touch with him.

T.

[budd4766]

I tried the clan membership thing once. Paid the dues, got two newsletters, then was told I had to pay up again next time I visited the clan tent. That, plus a not-so-warm reception by one of my clans "officers" didn't sit too well with me.

I'm sure not all clans are like that, but my experience didn't exactly encourage me to keep paying the dues. I'll still stop by the tent when I can, but that's about as far as I go clan-wise.

[cajunscot]

Originally Posted by budd4766

I tried the clan membership thing once. Paid the dues, got two newsletters, then was told I had to pay up again next time I visited the clan tent. That, plus a not-so-warm reception by one of my clans "officers" didn't sit too well with me.

I'm sure not all clans are like that, but my experience didn't exactly encourage me to keep paying the dues. I'll still stop by the tent when I can, but that's about as far as I go clan-wise.

Did you offer to help man a tent at the games? Write an article for the newsletter?

While I sympathize that you feel slighted, and your clan officers probably should be a bit more proactive in terms of asking folks for their time and talents, remember that you also to make the offer. Most clan society officers are elated when a new member says, "What can I do to help?" I know there are some out there that do not live up to this, but the majority of clan and Scottish societies here in the US are always on the lookout for "fresh fish".

T.

[MacBubba45]

Originally Posted by CameronCat

Well gents, before this spirals completely out of control,

I'm jumping in late on this, but that may be a good thing as it's given me some time to think about it. First of all, this probably applies more to the smaller clans than the larger ones.

To CameronCat's point I myself have been guilty of not getting the newsletters out in a timely manner. For that reason I'll leave members on the membership list sometimes 2 or 3 years past the time they let their membership lapse. I do this to make sure they get a full value for their dues. Plus it keeps me in touch with our members and a lot of them will renew again after a year or two.

As was noted earlier we're all volunteers. A clan is lucky to find someone willing to help who is retired or maybe owns a printing company. This past year I had some orthopedic issues going on where I did good to keep going to work then go home and get in bed. The contact with members suffered and there simply isn't anyone else to jump in and do it in a small organization like mine. I won't take anyone off the membership list this year if they don't renew no matter how long it's been.

I know Clan Cameron's secretary personally and know she's been wanting help with the newsletter this past year mostly with content (members submitting articles). I have promised her an article about a (sept name) Cameron g'g'g'g' grandfather of mine who died on the Chickamauga battlefield.

Don't give up on us CameronCat! We smaller clans are trying!

[JockInSkye]

Clans are a relic of the distant past to me.