From BabsFayth at aol.com Thu Apr 6 08:33:44 2006 From: BabsFayth at aol.com (BabsFayth@aol.com) Date: Thu, 6 Apr 2006 08:33:44 EDT Subject: [Scottish News] HAPPY TARTAN DAY! Message-ID: <2fb.268edc7.316664a8@aol.com> Good Morning, Everyone and Happy Tartan Day! In Minnesota, our Tartan Day Celebrations begin tomorrow with the Tartan Day Gala and continue on Saturday with the events at the State Capitol. Below is a recap of the reminder information we sent about two weeks ago. At the very least, wear your Tartan Day buttons to work today and for the brave souls out there, wear your kilts or your kilt skirts to work. Be Proud. You are Scots. 1. HOTEL CHANGES ITS NAME. The Radisson Riverfront is now the CROWNE PLAZA. The Radisson was sold, the name has been changed, and the signs identifying the hotel have also been changed. It is in the same place, same great chef, staff, and beautiful environs. 2. HAGGIS HUNT. Saturday April 8, 9:00 am at the State Capitol, the 1st Annual Haggis Hunt. Prizes for kids and adults. Check the web site for your Haggis Hunt license. _www.mntartanday.org_ (http://www.mntartanday.org/) Haggis Hunt licenses will be available on Saturday morning at the State Capitol ? there will be a table. Meet on the east end near the Veterans' building. 3. ICONS OF SCOTLAND COSTUME CONTEST. Dress up as Robert the Bruce or Nessie, a Bagpipe or a box of shortbread - use your imagination and have fun! Dress warmly under your costume and March in the parade! Prizes in 3 age categories. Check the web site for information: _www.mntartanday.org_ (http://www.mntartanday.org/) 4. GRAND MARCH OF THE TARTANS AND CELEBRATION. April 8, 2006, Saturday, 10:30 a.m. at the State Capitol. Gather on the east end of the Capitol Mall by the Veterans' building near the Peace Officers Memorial. Bring your tartan banners, wear your kilts, your kilt skirts, your tartan tie, scarf, lapel decoration, whatever you have that proclaims your clan: your clan flags, your organization flags. Duluth Scottish Heritage Pipe Band will lead the Grand March and will include a total of 7 (not a typo, seven) pipe bands. This will be the most colorful event held at the State Capitol. The 4th Annual Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented as to David Sinclair Bouschor well as tributes to our Scottish heritage. As always, there will be surprises. It's free (our favorite word). Be there, be proud. If you do not wish to walk in the Grand March, meet us on the steps of the capitol where the program will begin at approximately 11:00 A.M. NOTE: There will be a photographer on site and the usual "group photo" will be taken, so don't leave the capitol steps until Dana gives you the "dismissed." 5. THE AFTER LUNCH. Lunch at the Kelly Inn Sweetwater Grill by the State Capitol after Tartan Day ceremonies and celebration $6.00 Turkey, BLT or Ham sandwich, chips and Coke (e-mail _Dana at mntartanday.org_ (mailto:Dana at mntartanday.org) with your sandwich choice) 6. PARKING. The meters along John Ireland Blvd and in Lots H and I off of 12th Street MAY be free on Saturdays. However, be sure to read what it says on your meter and come prepared with quarters, just in case. Meters along John Ireland will take about 4 quarters per hour with a 2 hour limit, Meters in H and I will take about 3 quarters with a 4 hour limit. Read the meter to be sure and come prepared with quarters. We'll see you all there. If we didn't answer your questions here, check _www.mntartanday.org_ (http://www.mntartanday.org) All the Best, Babs -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://tartandaymn.org/pipermail/news_tartandaymn.org/attachments/20060406/d5c8e1cf/attachment.htm From BabsFayth at aol.com Mon Apr 24 08:55:58 2006 From: BabsFayth at aol.com (BabsFayth@aol.com) Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2006 08:55:58 EDT Subject: [Scottish News] Special Edition, A Tribute to George McCracken April 24, 2006 Message-ID: <3b4.16469c2.317e24de@aol.com> George Robertson McCracken April 24, 1928 ? February 9, 2006 What is there to be said about George McCracken and his place in our Scottish community that hasn't already been said? Each of us has treasured memories of George, whether he was prodding us with our dancing or gently chastising us for hiring "an Irish Band" for the first Tartan Day Ball. As much as we loved him, he loved us. He cared about us. He wanted us to know, love, and appreciate our Scottish heritage as much as he did. His funeral was a wonderful celebration and such a remarkable tribute to this man, that folks came up to family members to say, "It was the best funeral I've ever been to." And it was. Pastor Pari Bailey, assisted by her husband Trevor Bailey on the organ, led a service that was rich in remembrances, reverence, contemplation, and joyful celebration. Family members, son, daughter, granddaughter, niece, and family friends offered their special stories and insights to George McCracken family man, dad, granddad, uncle, and pal. Certainly, we all joined in "lifting him up on Eagles Wings." Members of at least five pipe bands, under the direction of George's son-in-law, Mick McCoy gave out with the most stirring, heartfelt rendering of "Amazing Grace" that any of us had ever heard, anywhere. Even though the ushers tried to have us begin to leave the pews, we were steadfast until the last note played in tribute to George quieted in the hushed hall. And then, the mourners, needing to express their sorrow and their love of this man, broke out in enthusiastic applause. It was a moment, one we will long remember. George, who had been born in Glasgow and moved with his family to Dunoon as a child, met Theresa, who was from South Uist, at a dance in Dunoon when he was home on leave from the service. George was with the Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders serving in Palestine. George and Theresa were married in Dunoon in July, 1956. Not long after their wedding, they made a decision to immigrate to the USA where George's parents and one brother already lived. As they settled into their new town, their new state, and their new country, George and Theresa never stopped missing Scotland. And to ease their loss they brought as much of Scotland to Minnesota as they could. Joe McNee told us that George was more Scottish after 40 years in the US than he had been in Scotland. And we are all the richer for it. Six children were born to George and Theresa: Andrew, John, Kirsty, George, Joseph, and Peter. And they in turn blessed them with grandchildren and great grandchildren. George was not just the head of that family, but of our Minnesota Family of Scots. As his children and grandchildren mourn him, so do we all mourn the loss of this one in a million person. In response to our request for "your favorite George stories," we have received some wonderful tales from those who loved him. There are so many fond memories I have of my father-in-law, what a wonderful, caring, witty wee man! I will never forget that twinkle in his eye every time he looked at Theresa and the special relationship the two of them shared. I will also never forget one conversation in particular that I had with him while he and Theresa were visiting several years ago. My sister was expecting her second child and I was telling George and Theresa what a difficult time she and her husband were having picking out the perfect name. She really liked Annabelle but the name reminded her of the cow in the ice cream commercials, she wanted the name to have meaning, but she didn't want anything that could be ridiculed on the playground, shortened into another name that she wasn't fond of, etc.! Her due date was fast approaching and she had called to tell me they were considering Isabelle. I had barely uttered the name out of my mouth and George says, in that famous Scottish tone, "Isabelle really necessary on a bike?" We laughed so hard we were crying. He was always quick with a joke and his sense of humor will live on through his family, especially those youngest two boys! I will always feel honored to have known this one of a kind, gentle man who, (along with Theresa), gave me the most precious gift of all, my amazing husband, Pete. Thank you George, you will never be forgotten! Jodi McCracken My memories of George are very special. He was always telling me of a new dance he was teaching or he had a video of a dance. He seemed to always be able to come up with music for us in the various new dances. I will miss him. He was a very special person!!. Regards, David Bouschor Our kids were always afraid to go and sit on Santa's lap at the malls or Daytons so we gave up taking them. But then we brought them to the Scottish Club Christmas party and here came this sweet little Santa with a Scottish accent and they weren't afraid of him. Not only were they not afraid of him, he didn't ask what they wanted for Christmas he gave them a present and it was something they wanted. George was not only the most welcoming Santa ever; he was the smartest Santa ever. We remember him for so many things, his love of teaching people how to dance; his ready smile and kindness. But my kids will always think that Santa has a Scottish accent because of George! Thanks for putting this memory book together. Ross Sutter, Mary Lofgren, Sonja and Jack Kathy and I got to know George about 2 years ago when we started to dance with the Friday night group. It quickly became something that we really looked forward to each week and we enjoyed it greatly. George was always fun, but very serious about the dancing. He could get very impatient, but always in a good way and he taught us a lot. About a year ago at this time, the group decided to go out after dancing to Molly Quinn's for a beer or a wee dram. George was interested in having corned beef and cabbage as it was close to St. Paddy's Day. He decided against the beef but ended up having 2 bowls of cabbage as a special treat. We miss him and will always have wonderful memories of our too little time with him. Don Bruce My folks would have been married 50 years this July. They married in Dunoon, Scotland. They moved to Minnesota because Dad's parents (Andrew & Christina McCracken) were already here and they sponsored them to come to the "land of opportunity." The trip on the Queen Mary...Yes, Mom was pregnant with Andy and Dad is the one who was seasick. They didn't say much about it, I don't think they realized how cool it was. I know Dad said the ship was beautiful, he always loved ships and had a special place in his heart for the QM. They visited it in Long Beach and were disappointed at what they had done to it. It obviously wasn't the same. They arrived in New York with no one to greet them and came by train to the depot in downtown Minneapolis, where people skate now. (Milwaukee Road) I think about what a big step that would have been for them. What an experience, two young people in their mid-twenties traveling to another country that was totally foreign to them. I think it took a lot of guts and a strong relationship, which, of course, they had! Kirsty McCracken I am privileged to be an "Honorary McCracken." It's been that way for the last 18 years. It all started when my sister Monique married one of the greatest men I know, Joe McCracken son of George and Theresa McCracken. Right from the start, I was included in everything - being a part of the McCracken family has always been special to me. I look at it this way - if George and Theresa hadn't done such a good job raising the family they did, I wouldn't have two great nephews (Christopher and Matthew) and my sister and my family wouldn't have had Joe as part of our lives. We are all very lucky! Janene Haselhuhn, Chetek, WI I have plenty of fond memories of our extraordinary George, but two of them will always stand out? One of my earliest memories was formed years ago, while Bobbi and I were still relatively new to the larger active Scottish community in Minnesota. We were just winding up a TCSC Burns' night and were all coated up and heading out the door- we hadn?t noticed that everybody behind us was circling up and joining hands to sing Auld Lang Sync- but George did notice us wandering away. And just briefly, he left everybody standing there to trot a significant distance after us, grab both of us by the hands, and pull us back into the Auld Lang Syne circle. I felt a lump in my throat right then and there as I absorbed the surprise of being important to George, even though we hadn?t known each other for very long at all. Bobbi and I both welled up from the warmth of this genuinely caring gesture that was probably almost unnoticed and automatic for him. But that was George. He instinctively touched people without having to think much about it. As the years went by, I understood that this sort of thing was a common occurrence in peoples? experience of him, but it will never be merely common to me. It was a formative moment in my understanding of what the best of our bonded Scottish community could be, and I have tried to create that spirit of welcoming and belonging for new folks ever since. I?ve got a long way to go before I can do it like George could, but thanks to him at least I know what it looks and feels like, and I know what to shoot for. And I have it to warm my own heart, always. I tell you this- nothing feels better to me than knowing that something I said or did caused a new person?s face to wear the same expression I wore in that Auld Lang Syne circle, so many years ago. Through the passing on of that expression, George never dies while I live. He never dies while those who feel what I felt live on, and in turn, pass it on to others. So George never dies, ever. Perfect. The other memory is lighter, more amusing to me, but is much the same in its quality: George knew with absolutely no ambiguity that I didn?t dance. He knew I didn? t dance after the first time he tried to talk me into it, and he knew it much better by the 20th or 30th time he tried to talk me into it. His attempts grew shorter and more efficient over the years, but he never failed to invite me to dance, eyeballing me defiantly as he did so, but sincerely meaning it every time. It would have been irritating as hell had almost anyone else on the planet been so damned determined to make me dance- but it?s funny- I actually looked forward to George trying to talk me into dancing. It became a comforting ritual of our community gatherings for me, and it always ended with a wry smile on both our faces. Despite our shared Scottish stubbornness, it felt good that he never gave up trying to give me what I know he felt was one of the finest gifts he could offer. It had never been for his sake, but only for mine. Alas- this thing I simply cannot pass on to others- but I will never forget the greater dance that he really danced. It was much more than the mere movement of the body to music. George, just know that it was my totally inadequate gift to you that I never said yes; I feel certain you?d have been sorry for your success. Scott McKechnie George worked with bass drum students at Minnesota Police Pipe Band throughout his last year; his students thoroughly enjoyed learning from him. In addition, George was always ready to lend a hand at rehearsals and helped keep a steady beat when the pipers needed some assistance at the practice chanter table. He enjoyed coming to practice and was at the center of attention at the pub afterwards, always with a smile on his face and quick with a bit of wordplay or an old joke. When his health would allow, George enjoyed coming to hear the Band play in concerts, parades, and contests. I fondly remember at the campsite after the Farmington Games with George sitting by the campfire surrounded by an attentive crowd. George would be talking about his life in Dunoon, or his adventures with the British Army in Palestine, or the many stories of car repairs coming back from some competition. Every story told with freshness like it happened the day before. We will miss him greatly. Michael McCoy P/M Minnesota Police Pipe Band On a blustery Sunday afternoon, April 6, 2003, as Minnesota Tartan Day Coordinator, it was my honor to present George McCracken with the First Annual Lifetime Achievement Award. George had been very ill and while he wasn't able to attend the Tartan Day Ball the night before (more's the pity since we had a Scottish Band), Kirsty assured me he would be there on Sunday afternoon. Nestled somewhere within a pile of tartan blankets, those two eyes, as blue as a Scottish Loch, peered out at me. George was very proud of that award. He kept it with him in his hospital room after the ambulance whisked him away. And it was lovingly placed next to him where we could all see it, when we came to say our last goodbyes. The last time I saw George he was leading the dancing at the St. Andrew's Burns' Night dinner in January. It's funny how you never think ? "This is the last time I will see George." Had I known, I would have hung around 'til the very end. I called Kirsty in early February to say that the Minnesota Tartan Day Cooperative would like to get a ticket for her dad to join us at the Black Watch Concert at the Xcel Center in St. Paul on Valentine's Day. She told me then that he would be having surgery and she just wasn't sure if he would be up to it. I told her I would keep a ticket for him, she should let us know. Then, of course, came Andy's call with the news on February 9th. There was a Ceilidh in the great beyond, and they needed George to call the dances. A huge group of Scots gathered together to hear the Black Watch. Near the end of the program, a voice came on the loud speaker to tell us that the next tune would be dedicated to the memory of George McCracken. There were no dry eyes in our section. We learned the next night that St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman had asked for the dedication. As a teenager, he had been a bagpipe student of one of George's sons. Babs There were many of us in Saint Andrew's Society who attended George's Friday Night Dance Classes, in the last few years. His impish way of directing us, and the joy you could see in his face when we finally did something right, made him near, and dear to us. Our desire to have him direct our Ceilidh at this years Burns Night was greatly applauded by many of our members. We had a large crowd still participating in the dancing as the evening closed, and George was right there in the middle of it. Still in his loving way, trying to keep us in a semblance of recognizable dance in the midst of chaos. Looking back to that night, it is with a tear in the eye and with such a grateful heart, that we had him there, little knowing that that would be the last time we would have opportunity to have him participating in such an event with us. George, we will miss you!! Bob Olsson, President, St. Andrew's Society of Minnesota Dear Scottish Friends: I just wanted to pass on thanks for all of the support the Scottish community has given my family in the wake of my Dad's passing. It has been over whelming. The best thing was to see so many people from all the Minnesota groups together. We had representatives from 4 or 5 pipe bands playing together, and the sound was amazing. We were so happy that Thistledown and Helen Grant came to play, Dad would have been pleased. The Twin Cities Scottish Club came together as always and pulled together the lunch, staying up the night before making sausage rolls! They have always been our surrogate Scottish family so it was comforting that they took care of us when in need. The Ramble the following weekend was special too. Again, there was a great show of support and thank you Liz and Peggy for the memorial ribbons. Many a person, kind of sheepishly, came to us and said, "that was the best funeral I have ever been to." I think that the love and emotion of the day made it so. I also had a Scandinavian friend afterwards ask, "where do I sign up to be Scottish?" I think he wanted to feel what we do. Thank you also to the editor of this newsletter, Babs, I appreciate you getting the word out for us. A special thanks goes to Doogie and Eileen Stuart for being with us and helping Mom through the day. Thank you all. Andrew McCracken And finally, in closing The McCracken Family would like everyone to know that the Guest Book (the link is below) has been purchased as a lifetime gift to the McCracken Family. These recollections will be posted there to share with anyone who might visit. And you are welcome to add your comments at any time. George's marker was recently installed at Resurrection Cemetery. If you would like to stop by, the directions are below. Resurrection Cemetery 2101 S. Lexington Ave. Mendota Heights, MN 55120 651-454-5072 >From Hwy 94 in St. Paul exit 35E south to Hwy 110 west to Lexington Ave. (first stop light). Turn left (south). Resurrection is on your right. (Check mapquest.com for directions from your location.) To get to the grave site, Turn right into the cemetery, turn right at the T. The office building will be on your right. Follow the road to a Y and go left, follow straight on that road until you see another Y in the road with a family mausoleum in the middle, the gravesite is on the left side, beside a tree, right by the road. Or you can stop inside the building and ask for directions. It is very easy to find and the headstone is worth seeing (pictures of Dunoon laser etched in it.) Web site link to the Guest Book: http://www.legacy.com/startribune/Guestbook.asp?Page=GuestBook&PersonID=16668063 Web site link to the Obituary in the Star Tribune: http://www.legacy.com/startribune/obituaries.asp?Page=SEARCHRESULTS There is only one thing left to say "Happy Birthday, George." We will lift our hearts and a wee dram to your memory today. "Cuimhnich air na daoine o'n d'thainig thu" "Remember the men (or "those") from whom thou comest (or "from whom thou'rt descended")" Our sincere thanks to Kevin Myers for seeking out the proper Gaelic for this fine bit of historical challenge. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://tartandaymn.org/pipermail/news_tartandaymn.org/attachments/20060424/3f49ab03/attachment-0001.htm -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/jpeg Size: 6176 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://tartandaymn.org/pipermail/news_tartandaymn.org/attachments/20060424/3f49ab03/attachment-0001.jpg From BabsFayth at aol.com Wed Apr 26 12:31:19 2006 From: BabsFayth at aol.com (BabsFayth@aol.com) Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2006 12:31:19 EDT Subject: [Scottish News] REMINDER! The MN Scottish Fair Benefit is this SATURDAY! Message-ID: <328.34a08c9.3180fa57@aol.com> Hello Everyone, To elaborate on someone else's theme, It Takes a Village. . . etc., I would just like to emphasize that It Takes a Community to Hold a Scottish Fair. And that Community, friends, is us, all of us. It is no secret that the MN Scot Fair needs our support, so here is an opportunity for you to help our Fair and have an extraordinarily enjoyable evening. THE MINNESOTA SCOTTISH FAIR AND HIGHLAND GAMES BENEFIT will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the auditorium at the Richfield Middle School located just off Penn Avenue and 75th Street in Richfield (ain't that clever?) 7461 Oliver Avenue South. (Here is a mapquest.com link to the site, it's long but it will get you there:http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?address=7461%20Oliver%20Ave%20S&city=R ichfield&state=MN&zipcode=55423%2d3606&country=US&title=%3cb%3e7461%20Oliver%2 0Ave%20S%3c%2fb%3e%3cbr%20%2f%3e%20Richfield%2c%20MN%2055423%2d3606%2c%20%20US &cid=lfmaplink2&name= Copy and paste above in your browser. It'll get you there. The line up is fantastic: Two Pipe Bands, MPPB and Mac; 4 time National Champion Highland Dancer, Kira Cogswell; the beloved, one and only Ross Sutter; Clann Tartan will be there, rugged guys with muskets and their ladies; MSCDS Highland Dancers; a Scottish Storyteller; Reel Spinners, a Ceilidh Band; and more, more fun, more surprises. No better way for everyone in our community to spend a Saturday night. Tickets at the door $20 each (You can give more if you want to, they won't say no.) Seniors and students $10 (but more if you want to give it) and children under 5 free (Maybe they can bring something from the piggy bank.) Everybody gives, everybody wins! This is our Fair everyone. It's what we always wanted. Now we've got it, it's up to us to get behind it and make sure it's a success and let's start by everybody coming out to this great fundraising concert. Bring your friends, your neighbors, your relatives (even your mother-in-law) fill your car. Let's pack the auditorium and make this an SRO event. Here's a link to the web site info: _http://www.mnscottishfair.org/2006fundraisingconcert.htm_ (http://www.mnscottishfair.org/2006fundraisingconcert.htm) See you there, Babs -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://tartandaymn.org/pipermail/news_tartandaymn.org/attachments/20060426/8c8bb431/attachment.htm From BabsFayth at aol.com Fri Apr 28 09:34:57 2006 From: BabsFayth at aol.com (BabsFayth@aol.com) Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2006 09:34:57 EDT Subject: [Scottish News] EXTRA! EXTRA! Fair Registration Updated Information Message-ID: <28f.983fab9.31837401@aol.com> Good Morning, Everyone, We have been asked by Minnesota Coalition of Scottish Clans (MCSC) Vice President, Ron Kincaid, to circulate the following information to all Scots planning to participate by having a clan tent at the Minnesota Scottish Fair and Highland Games in Farmington, MN on July 15. This notice was sent last night by MCSC Secretary Lindie Wessling: Dear Clan Reps, Alternates, and others who are intending to set up a tent at the Minnesota Scottish Fair and Highland Games, If you are not one of the above, please disregard this information. We are attempting to get this information out to as many people as possible. We apologize for cluttering your mail box if you do not need this information. Please take note: You must have your registration postmarked by April 30, 2006 to be able to pay the basic tent price. If you are postmarked after the 30th, your tent fee will DOUBLE!!!! Information that had been sent out recently was incorrect. Please check your packet of information and keep your costs down as much as you can. Again, if your registration is postmarked after April 30th, your fee will DOUBLE!!! On a lighter note, hope to see many of you at the Fair Fundraising Concert on Saturday night, 7pm at Richfield Junior High School. Lindsay Wessling Secretary Minnesota Coalition of Scottish Clans (763)521-2632 _lindiew at comcast.net_ (mailto:lindiew at comcast.net) Should you need additional information please contact Lindie at the above phone number or email address. All the Best, Babs Barbara Humphrey, Editor Scottish News in Minnesota -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://tartandaymn.org/pipermail/news_tartandaymn.org/attachments/20060428/ab6aa6f9/attachment.htm