| THE CHIEF IS COMING TO THE 2017 AGM! SAVE THE DATE - July 6-9 Grandfather Mountain Highland Games Honored Clan House of Gordon |
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| Site design,& layout copyright House of Gordon USA, 2007 Photos Copyright 2013 Lois M Todd: All Rights Reserved, used with permission. Home About Us Membership Divisions Scholarship Newsletter Links Contact Us |
Dear House of Gordon,
I so look forward to being with you at Grandfather next year. It will be my fourth visit and the memories are all very
enjoyable. Delighted to learn from Lois that the Gordons are making the running in the Clan stakes. I will do my best
to support you in whatever way I can.
I know that my son, Alistair, has written to Lois to say that he will hope to move into the castle next year. We are all
longing for this to happen not least because I can go and stay with him and drink his delicious whiskey. He wants to
make some major alterations to the castle and, at this time in Scotland, it is difficult to know whether the country will
wish to try again to break from the United Kingdom or whether it will be able to remain in the European Union - both of
which matter very much for a number of reasons. These things do, however, require that one thinks very carefully
before taking on a large project and I think he is right to wait. I know he will make the right decision in the end.
I don’t deny that living in the South of England I miss the hills of Aberdeenshire. I have been undertaking an academic
study this year and have hardly managed to get back home. I would love to have a little cottage on the estate at
Aboyne but this must wait. Henley, where we now live, is lovely and last evening we went for a walk on the tow path.
Very quiet with no river traffic and only the willows bending in the breeze - I don’t deny I would have preferred to be by
the Dee with the rushing water and distant mountains but both have their merits!
I went to the wedding of my cousin last week in Scotland. Lots of Gordons everywhere. The bride wonderfully
pretty .We were in the foothills of Perthshire on a glorious day surrounded by miles of wild open country. Looking
around me I felt my strong Gordon blood more than ever.
Look after each other.
Until next year,
Huntly.
PLEASE READ THE AGM REPORTS PRIOR TO THE MEETING IN ORDER TO EXPEDITE THE BUSINESS OF THE
HOUSE.
AGM WEEKEND EVENTS
The AGM Weekend will begin Thursday evening with a Meet & Greet with the Chief in the Chief’s tent on MacRae
Meadow. This will be the only event we are asking you to purchase tickets to the entire weekend. We are limiting the
number of tickets to 150 and these will be on a first come first served basis. You will find enclosed in the mailing
envelope this year an order form for tickets to be returned with your proxy and membership dues. Tickets must be
bought in advance. For those coming to the opening torchlight ceremony but not the Meet & Greet, be aware that the
road closes for the Bear Run, a world class 5 mile run, at 6:50 PM.
THURSDAY, JULY 6th
Meet & Greet with the Chief—In the Chief’s Tent on MacRae Meadow on the mountain. Dress casual and comfortable!
Heavy hors d’oeuvres with a Scottish-American flair including mini salmon bridies, and herb crusted roast lamb. We
will begin serving at 6:00 PM, but be on the mountain early to mix & mingle, check out some of the vendors beforehand
too if you like. The Bear runners come through the campgrounds, around the track and past the Chief’s tent
beginning around 7 PM and we will be able to join in the fun of cheering them on! Afterwards, we will gather in the
Gordon tents on Clan Row for the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games Opening Ceremony, the torchlight calling of
the clans! To be sure the Gordons are already always to loudest every year, but this year they should be hearing “A
GORDON, A GORDON” all the way down the mountain!
FRIDAY, JULY 7th
Friday is the day to hit the vendors before the big crowds come on Saturday. We will only have light snacks and drinks
in the Gordon Hospitality tents on Clan Row this day. This gives you the chance to check out the festival food before it
gets crazy lines too! There is lots happening on the field , in the music groves and all around. So enjoy this day
hanging out. For those who bought Patron passes from the Games there is a formal Patrons’ Reception at the Best
Western in Banner Elk.
SATURDAY, July 8th
LUNCH 11:45—12:45 PM
We will be having lunch at the Gordon Hospitality Tents on Clan Row! A tradition at Grandfather, the men in the
campground smoke meat in the Rock Oven that David Todd with help from David Gauthier and Geof Baker builds
each year, affectionately known as Angus. Don’t be late for lunch though as we are having to move the AGM Meeting
up one hour this year to accommodate the Chief’s obligation to be at the COSCA meeting at 2:00 PM
AGM MEETING in GORDONVILLE in the campground 1:00 PM
In order to keep the meeting time to a minimum we will be publishing the reports online in advance so that people may
review them in advance. We have published last year’s AGM Minutes in this publication, and it is also online on the
AGM 2016 page on the website. We will also be handing out printed packets of the reports to those attending the
meeting. We will quickly call the meeting to order, establish the quorum and hold the election of officers. Then we will
turn the time over to the Chief for his remarks, as we wish to give him as much time as he should wish and we realize
that he may have to leave before the meeting adjourns to be at the COSCA Meeting as the Games Honored Guest.
If anyone has new business they would like to have on the meeting agenda, please email it to Lois Todd no later than
June 26th , otherwise you may bring it up from the floor at the meeting.
POTLUCK in in GORDONVILLE in the campground after game close.
The Gordonville/Castle Seamus Saturday night potluck is an annual tradition, that has grown to a couple hundred
attendees! This year we will be including any Clan Gordon members who wish to come and the House is putting in
extra meat in Angus and sides on the tables to ensure you will eat well., and have a good time.
SUNDAY, July 9th
KIRKING of the TARTNAS 10:00 AM
PARADE OF TARTANS LINE UP 11:15 AM STEP OFF 11:30 AM
The WHOLE CLAN MARCHES and as the Honored Clan we will be leading the pack. James Naismith, Pipe Major for
the Clan Gordon Pipe Band in Tacoma, WA will be leading the clan in the march and it will be nice to have a piper
again! Wear your tartan with pride—and if you happen to have the Green t-shirt we are selling to benefit the
scholarship—wear it! Show the Gordon belted crest off! We always have a big group marching and this year we hope
to put the rest to shame by the size of our group.
LUNCH AT THE GORDON TENT following the Parade of Tartans!
Sunday Afternoon is the CLAN CHALLENGE with clans fielding teams for Tug-o-War (at 2:00 PM) kilted foot races
including the relay race. We would love to field a team this year, let us know if you are interested!
I so look forward to being with you at Grandfather next year. It will be my fourth visit and the memories are all very
enjoyable. Delighted to learn from Lois that the Gordons are making the running in the Clan stakes. I will do my best
to support you in whatever way I can.
I know that my son, Alistair, has written to Lois to say that he will hope to move into the castle next year. We are all
longing for this to happen not least because I can go and stay with him and drink his delicious whiskey. He wants to
make some major alterations to the castle and, at this time in Scotland, it is difficult to know whether the country will
wish to try again to break from the United Kingdom or whether it will be able to remain in the European Union - both of
which matter very much for a number of reasons. These things do, however, require that one thinks very carefully
before taking on a large project and I think he is right to wait. I know he will make the right decision in the end.
I don’t deny that living in the South of England I miss the hills of Aberdeenshire. I have been undertaking an academic
study this year and have hardly managed to get back home. I would love to have a little cottage on the estate at
Aboyne but this must wait. Henley, where we now live, is lovely and last evening we went for a walk on the tow path.
Very quiet with no river traffic and only the willows bending in the breeze - I don’t deny I would have preferred to be by
the Dee with the rushing water and distant mountains but both have their merits!
I went to the wedding of my cousin last week in Scotland. Lots of Gordons everywhere. The bride wonderfully
pretty .We were in the foothills of Perthshire on a glorious day surrounded by miles of wild open country. Looking
around me I felt my strong Gordon blood more than ever.
Look after each other.
Until next year,
Huntly.
PLEASE READ THE AGM REPORTS PRIOR TO THE MEETING IN ORDER TO EXPEDITE THE BUSINESS OF THE
HOUSE.
AGM WEEKEND EVENTS
The AGM Weekend will begin Thursday evening with a Meet & Greet with the Chief in the Chief’s tent on MacRae
Meadow. This will be the only event we are asking you to purchase tickets to the entire weekend. We are limiting the
number of tickets to 150 and these will be on a first come first served basis. You will find enclosed in the mailing
envelope this year an order form for tickets to be returned with your proxy and membership dues. Tickets must be
bought in advance. For those coming to the opening torchlight ceremony but not the Meet & Greet, be aware that the
road closes for the Bear Run, a world class 5 mile run, at 6:50 PM.
THURSDAY, JULY 6th
Meet & Greet with the Chief—In the Chief’s Tent on MacRae Meadow on the mountain. Dress casual and comfortable!
Heavy hors d’oeuvres with a Scottish-American flair including mini salmon bridies, and herb crusted roast lamb. We
will begin serving at 6:00 PM, but be on the mountain early to mix & mingle, check out some of the vendors beforehand
too if you like. The Bear runners come through the campgrounds, around the track and past the Chief’s tent
beginning around 7 PM and we will be able to join in the fun of cheering them on! Afterwards, we will gather in the
Gordon tents on Clan Row for the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games Opening Ceremony, the torchlight calling of
the clans! To be sure the Gordons are already always to loudest every year, but this year they should be hearing “A
GORDON, A GORDON” all the way down the mountain!
FRIDAY, JULY 7th
Friday is the day to hit the vendors before the big crowds come on Saturday. We will only have light snacks and drinks
in the Gordon Hospitality tents on Clan Row this day. This gives you the chance to check out the festival food before it
gets crazy lines too! There is lots happening on the field , in the music groves and all around. So enjoy this day
hanging out. For those who bought Patron passes from the Games there is a formal Patrons’ Reception at the Best
Western in Banner Elk.
SATURDAY, July 8th
LUNCH 11:45—12:45 PM
We will be having lunch at the Gordon Hospitality Tents on Clan Row! A tradition at Grandfather, the men in the
campground smoke meat in the Rock Oven that David Todd with help from David Gauthier and Geof Baker builds
each year, affectionately known as Angus. Don’t be late for lunch though as we are having to move the AGM Meeting
up one hour this year to accommodate the Chief’s obligation to be at the COSCA meeting at 2:00 PM
AGM MEETING in GORDONVILLE in the campground 1:00 PM
In order to keep the meeting time to a minimum we will be publishing the reports online in advance so that people may
review them in advance. We have published last year’s AGM Minutes in this publication, and it is also online on the
AGM 2016 page on the website. We will also be handing out printed packets of the reports to those attending the
meeting. We will quickly call the meeting to order, establish the quorum and hold the election of officers. Then we will
turn the time over to the Chief for his remarks, as we wish to give him as much time as he should wish and we realize
that he may have to leave before the meeting adjourns to be at the COSCA Meeting as the Games Honored Guest.
If anyone has new business they would like to have on the meeting agenda, please email it to Lois Todd no later than
June 26th , otherwise you may bring it up from the floor at the meeting.
POTLUCK in in GORDONVILLE in the campground after game close.
The Gordonville/Castle Seamus Saturday night potluck is an annual tradition, that has grown to a couple hundred
attendees! This year we will be including any Clan Gordon members who wish to come and the House is putting in
extra meat in Angus and sides on the tables to ensure you will eat well., and have a good time.
SUNDAY, July 9th
KIRKING of the TARTNAS 10:00 AM
PARADE OF TARTANS LINE UP 11:15 AM STEP OFF 11:30 AM
The WHOLE CLAN MARCHES and as the Honored Clan we will be leading the pack. James Naismith, Pipe Major for
the Clan Gordon Pipe Band in Tacoma, WA will be leading the clan in the march and it will be nice to have a piper
again! Wear your tartan with pride—and if you happen to have the Green t-shirt we are selling to benefit the
scholarship—wear it! Show the Gordon belted crest off! We always have a big group marching and this year we hope
to put the rest to shame by the size of our group.
LUNCH AT THE GORDON TENT following the Parade of Tartans!
Sunday Afternoon is the CLAN CHALLENGE with clans fielding teams for Tug-o-War (at 2:00 PM) kilted foot races
including the relay race. We would love to field a team this year, let us know if you are interested!
