Newsletter

Saint Patrick’s Day Dinner and Ceilidh - March 18, 2006

This is always a popular event for the entire family, get those tickets NOW! Tickets are available at the Dahl

Arts Center & via the S.I.S. Web site: www.BlackHillsCelticEvents.org . Tickets will also be available at the March 16th Society membership meeting (if there are any left).

The evening will be full of good food, music, including some sing-alongs, and we may even learn a dance. Of course a ‘Ceilidh’ (pronounced KAY-lee) means an opportunity for all to join in. Members and guests are welcome to share toasts, jokes, songs, etc. Cost for the evening’s entertainment is $15 per person for members and $17 for non-members.

Menu includes salmon canapés, Irish Potted Chicken, Irish stew, soda bread, fruit, orange chutney and a variety of desserts including: shortbread, scones, trifles, Guinness cake, John Burke and Jim Byrne are heading up the meal planning. Note: there will be no keg provided in accordance with our new event safety guidelines.

The dinner will be at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 717 Quincy, 6:00 p.m. social and 7:00 p.m. dinner. Please buy your tickets by March 15th.

March 16th Membership Program:

The Irish & St Patrick

Learn more about Saint Patrick – the fact & fiction

Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day!

St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Come out in your Celtic finery (dogs welcome too) for the parade on Saturday, March 18. We’ll assemble at 11:30 a.m. at the corner of 3^rd & Main Streets downtown.

Parade will start at noon.

March 16	7:00 p.m.	*General membership Meeting, TREA Building, Rapid City PROGRAM: “The Irish & St. Patrick”**
March 17	T.B.A.	String Thaw will be playing at the Dublin Square 5-9:00 p.m.
March 18	6:00 p.m.	Saint Patrick’s Dinner & Ceilidh at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 717 Quincy St, Rapid City
March 31-April 1		SD Tech Cultural Expo
April 6	7:00 p.m.	Board Meeting, TREA* Building, Rapid City
April 20	7:00 p.m.	General Membership Meeting, TREA* Building, Rapid City PROGRAM: Battle of Culoden
May 4	7:00 p.m.	Board Meeting, TREA* Building, Rapid City
May 18	7:00 p.m.	General Membership Meeting, TREA* Building, Rapid City PROGRAM: History of Beltaine
June	T.B.A.	Midsummer’s Night Gathering

*TREA = The Retired Enlisted Association building, 1981 East Centre Street, Rapid City

BUDGET – Such a scary word! It conjures up images of people dressed in rags, huddled around a small coin purse, discussing whether they can afford to spend their last pennies on a loaf of bread.

Since joining this group I have not seen an annual budget in print. This subject came to mind during a recent board meeting. As we reviewed the income statement for the Burns dinner someone pointed out that it used to be one of our most lucrative fund raisers. I had to ask, “What are we raising funds for?”

Well, we should, as a group, decide what we are raising funds for. Whatever we wish to raise money for should be plugged into the expense side of a budget. Of course this will guide us in planning our fund raising efforts to fill in the income side of the budget sheet.

Then we can stand around our small purse, monitoring the cash flow with a purpose.

Today, in the wake of a severe loss from last year’s festival, we are in the black. We now have enough cash to pay back members who loaned us money last fall. That speaks volumes about the determination of you members to keep the Scottish and Irish Society going. It puts us in a position to plan for something other than digging out of debt.

I will be submitting a draft annual budget to the board in April. I hope that we can put it into effect starting July 1. I am suggesting a mid-year, annual budget plan so that the newly elected officers have time to put it together each year. This gives the next slate of officers a blue print to continue on until the following July.

As members you need to be involved in the budget process. Think about what you would like to do as an organization. What kind of activities should we have? How and who should pay for those activities? Do we engage in large speculative events like the festival? Should we stick to small, self supporting activities like the Burns and St Patrick’s celebrations? Should we raise money or break even on events?

This is your organization and these events are your parties. Make your wishes known.

Gary Hamilton

Your Input Needed

This newsletter would be far more interesting with your input: news, events, culture, history, photos, new Celtic businesses, anything. Submit your articles in MS Word doc and photos in jpg format. E-mail to info@BlackHillsCelticEvents.org .

There are actually seven Celtic nations including Wales, Isle of man, Cornwall (England), Glacia (Spain), Brittany (France), Scotland and Ireland that share similar languages, music and traditions.

Serendipity - On March 4, Pat and I took a combined business and vacation trip to Dallas. Yes, I mean the big “D”. We were disappointed to find that Dallas had very little to offer in the way of tourist attractions. This was a surprise to us considering the size of the city.

In her searches Pat came across something called the Northern Texas Irish Festival. You know what I am going to say. What a find! What a festival!

The event was like a South Dakota State Fair without the carnival rides. The program listed over 150 vendors. We saw Celtic entertainers on 8 stages. Over three days they contracted 31 local musical groups and 10 headliner groups. On the day that we attended there were six Irish dance schools performing throughout the day. These schools each had 20-50 students on stage. We saw a 20 piece pipe band. Thousands of people came through the gates to see the festival. There were hundreds of dogs. We were able to buy things from vendors that we do not see on the shelf here in Rapid City. I saw a man wearing cowboy boots with his kilt.

Pat and I were on sensory overload. What to do next?

Our quick “drop-in” at the festival ended after 7 hours. We were exhausted and happy with the day.

If you ever have a chance to go to a big festival such as the one at Estes Park, give it a go. It is fun to see at least once.

I figure that by the year 2099 we can have a festival just as big in the Black Hills.

Gary Hamilton

The North Texas Caledonian Pipes and Drums

We’ve added some new members to our ranks since our last newsletter. Let’s hope we can welcome them in person at our next general meeting and at the St. Patrick’s Day Dinner and Ceilidh!

New members: Catherine Rost, Winston Barclay, Lillian Witte, Darren Williams, Rae Tyburec and Donna Tyburec

We’ll try to get some profiles of our new members in upcoming newsletters.

Last month I shared a few items from Arthur Herman’s book, “How the Scots Invented the Modern World”. This month I won’t. No time.

Gary Hamilton

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Beannachtai na Feile Padraig!

(pronounced: Bann-ockt-tee nih fail-eh pawd-rig)

May the road rise to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warn upon your face,

And rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

SDSMT Cultural Expo – March 31-April 1

We have been invited to set-up a table at the annual Cultural Expo at the South Dakota school of Mines. It will be chance to talk to elementary school students about our culture. We will hand out shortbreads as well. We can talk about this at the next membership meeting.

Festival Planning Meeting – March 25, 10:00 am

Highland Festival Planning Meeting will be held at the Dahl Arts center on March 25, 10:00 am.

Exchange Club Convention Ceilidh – April 28, 8:00 pm

The Exchange Club of Rapid City is a service club focusing on children’s charities. They are having a Ceilidh in support of a regional convention to be held here in Rapid City. They have hired String Thaw, Morgan Black and a Piper for their Ceilidh. We are invited to the Ceilidh, dressed in period clothing, to add to the atmosphere. Please plan to attend. It will be a good time and it is FREE! We can talk about this at the next membership meeting.

Treasurer’s Report: No update

Old Business:

* Membership meetings continue at the TREA building, but members are still looking for another place to meet.

* Sally Knight will take on position of membership chair.

* SIS is still seeking position of a publicist.

*Celtic festival will consist of more a “gathering of the clans” .Chamber of commerce needs to know SIS’s final decision, as they are promoting and directing questions about the festival.

*Names tags to be worn at events. Sally Knight will bring in a sample name tag to the next meeting.

*St. Pat’s dinner tickets are ready and the Dahl is handing out handbills.

*Budgeting ideas were discussed for St. Pat’s dinner as well as an annual budget based on activities and fund-raisers.

New Business:

Dublin Square Pub as been added to website advertisement.

Revised Robert’s Rules guidelines will be available via S.I.S. website.

Gary Hamilton wrote a letter endorsing the arts grant requested by Holly Lemay. Should the grant be approved, it will allow members to take lessons for calling dances. Gary thought it would be a good idea to be used as an activity at general meetings. Grant approval should be near the end of May.

Exchange club convention will be April 28 at the Quality Inn at 8:00 pm. Charlie Wier and Gary Hamilton will host a scotch tasting for the convention’s Celtic theme. Charlie Wier will give a lecture of Dakota Celtic History during the dinner, and SIS has been asked to take part in the ceilidh with tartan attire. Board approved this.

The Board moved to start membership loan payback. This will be further discussed at the next meeting when treasurer is present.

Program for March will be about St. Patrick.

Program for April will be the Battle of Culoden.

Program for May will be the History of Beltaine.

Kerry Smith would like to see something in newsletter or activities that have unusual or mysterious facts of our Celtic history. Newsletter editor is soliciting input from members for the newsletter.

Culture chairs: looking for members to increase our knowledge of Welsh, and Irish heritage.

St. Pat’s parade: Board moved to purchase a parade permit and participate. A piper will be needed.

Sally Knight, secretary. (Members can request complete minutes from the secretary or read at general member meetings.)

Treasurer’s Report: $2,482.90

Old Business:

Samples of name tags to wear at events were passed to each member and approved.

A “Gathering of the Clans” celebration is being investigated.

St. Pat’s parade: Darren Williams will be the Piper for the parade. A banner is still needed. Bill Knight made a motion to purchase a banner from Budget signs.

Exchange club convention: SIS will participate with the “style show” and decorations.

New Business:

Guidelines are needed to define paid musicians versus Ceilidh participants. Kerry Smith has agreed to develop and submit at next meeting.

Members who have not renewed will no longer receive the newsletter, but will be informed of upcoming events.

Board moved for S.I.S. to participate at the School of Mines Cultural Expo on March 31 to April 1.

Sally Knight, secretary. (Members can request complete minutes from the secretary or read at general member meetings.)

Publicist (Publicity manager)

Members to provide content for newsletter

President Gary Hamilton, info@BlackHillsCelticEvents.org

Vice President Bill Knight

Secretary Sally Knight

Treasurer Carole Conrad

Board Members Aliyah Sanders, Kerry Smith, Jim Byrne, James Marrs, John Burke

Membership Open

Web Site Robert Millican with apprentices: Gary & Pat Hamilton, and Aliyah Sanders

Newsletter Pat Hamilton, info@BlackHillsCelticEvents.org

If you would like to contribute an article or story, list an event, submit a photo, etc. to the newsletter, please email the item to me by the 5th of each month.