William C. MacLeod

1088 Onwentsia Court Naperville, IL 60563

630-357-6751 BMACSKYE@aol.com

GREAT LAKES REGION FALL 2001 NEWSLETTER

Our 2001 Great Lakes Region highland games season began in May at Springfield, Illinois. Our Illinois Commissioner, John MacLeod and his wife, Judy, managed tent duties. The weather was great with many attendees such as the Michael McClure family, John and Jean Anderson, Ed McClure family, Ken and Alice Leitch, Beth Burgett , Glenna McAuley Schlemn and Stan Rankin. Stan is a new member and plenty of energy. He is retired and a railroad buff volunteering at the Rail Museum in Union, Illinois. If you visit the museum, ask Stan to give you a ride on one of the old trolleys?

We next went to Alma, Michigan where our Michigan Commissioner, Bernie McLeod and his wife, Edith, handled the tent assisted by Coordinator Jerry Hill and Coralane McLeod Boyes. Frank Welling, our Northern Michigan Coordinator, also assisted by fortifying our location on Friday night with imitation "stone columns" painted on plywood which made the Clan MacLeod site impressive. Frank also carves wooden walking canes which he donates for sale at our tent. He is a dedicated member of the Clan. For those in Michigan, that have never attended the Alma Games, they are unforgetable as over 40,000 people enjoy this two day event in Scotland, USA. Some attendees were Scott MacLeod, Matt Lewis, Roger and Jean McCaskey, Jon MacLeod, Michael Pixley, Dorothy McLeod Hedley, Ed and Joyce Mullin, Don McLeod, Michael O'Brien, Rebecca Priami, Kevin Vickland, Kent Mudie, Julie McGillivray, Ray McLeod, Alisanne Flenniken, Steve McLeod, Richard McClure, Nathan and Todd and Henry McCloud, Tom Nicoll, Ron and Sandy McLeod, Grace and Harold McLeod, Roger and Marcella McLeod Mosey, John and Shirley Lewis, Alicia Quezada, Jon Decker, Ian Johnston, Donna Innes, Marilyn Bowers, Murray Dick, Ted Murdock and Ken MacLeod. As you can imagine, our Michigan members are very active and proud MacLeods at Alma.

Next came the Chicago Games where our tent was managed by Coordinators, Bill MacLeod and Pat Porter both from Brookfield, Illinois. It was a hot day but attendance was good led by Stan Rankin, Bonnie Reese, Lee Giermoth, Ray Lancaster, Stacie Williams, Neil and Eve McCloud, Gary MacLeod, Marjorie McCollom, Edith and Harris Evans, Heather Paliga, Rev. Bob Anderle, Gary Gribble, Devon Lewis, Roberta MacCrimmon Blyth, Ron and Margaret McQuarters, Sonja Hayes, Bethel Como, Tom Norman, Mary Morrison, Craig McCloud, Gene Dooley, Bob and Edie Jolly, Tom MacLennan, Joe Craig, David Bethea, Richard McClure, Ian McLeod Smith, Felicia Wragg, Gordon Jackson, Kathy Wilczynski, Dick Durning, W.L.Beaton, Angus MacLeod and new members, John and Rita MacLeod from Wheaton, Illinois.

Fort Wayne, Indiana was next handled jointly by Commissioners Bernie McLeod from Michigan and John MacLeod from Illinois. Attendees were Penny Parker, Darlene McCloud, Jimmy Cobb and Mark and Linda Wheaton. Edith McLeod met a long lost cousin, Robert McPhee, that she hadn't seen in 49 years. We also had a tent at Columbus, Indiana in July managed by Bernie McLeod. Attendees on this very hot and humid day were Robin Lewis, Mary watkins, Jim Lewis, Robert Fangmeier, Ian MacLeod, Gwynne Gabbard, Jennifer MacLeod, and Mary Gilman with family.

At Oberlin, Ohio, we had a nice location and a tent managed by Bernie McLeod along with wife, Edith and mother-in-law, Josephine Steele. Attendance was good with Alan Sandford, Dale McLeod, Amy Kennedy, Deb Sodee, Dan and Stacy MacRaild, Sue Wilson, Manton Gibbs, David Dryden, Dottie McLeod, Bruce Anspach, Lynda McLeod, Paula Neroni with family, Rev. Peter Norman, Darlene Whitney, Dr. Ted Jones, Bob Killen, Patricia Lewis, Agnes Rankin Bagley, Richard Simms, Joyce MacLeod Savako, Bill Erringtow, and Keith Rasey. Dr. Ted Jones has volunteered to be our Ohio Commissioner in 2002 assisted by two coordinators, Lynda McLeod and Bruce Anspach.

Traditionally at Oberlin, Clan MacLeod presents the winner of bagpipe competition with a trophy cup. It was presented by Bernie McLeod to Ewan MacPherson, from Ann Arbor, Michigan. Former Ohio Commissioner, Alan and Peggy Sandford were thrilled that two grandchildren placed in dance competition. Joel Pagnano placed 3rd in sword dance competition and sister, Jessica placed 4th in fling dance competition. It was tremendous day and Oberlin College like Alma College in Michigan was a great venue for the games.

In August, we began with the Detroit Games in Livonia, Michigan managed by Bernie McLeod and assisted by Jerry Hill and Coralane McLeod Boyes. It was slightly hot but we were comfortable under the tent with many vistors like, Betty MacLeod, Paul and Roxanne Mathew, Bonnie MacLeod, Marge McIntyre, Kevin Ridge, Angus MacLeod, Laurence McLeod, Alison and Bruce McClure, Peggy MacDonald, Michael MacLeod, Don McCready, Lancea McCloud Kavanaugh, Don and Martha MacLeod, Amanda, Mike and Janice LaFave, Rory McLeod, Darlene Armstrong, Dean McLeod, Glenn and Sharon Martin, Rob Burkhart, Ed Widman, Margo and Gary von Minden, Bruce Robinson, Dale Brown, Tom Wright, Senior and Jr., Lisa and Jake McLeod, Molly and Noah Seacrist, Anne Allison, John McLeod Plater, Dennis McLeod, Chelsea and Gladys Mcleod, Robert Platter, Sherry Woodbeck, Michael McLeod, Micky McCabe, Brian McClure, Joane Williston, Becky Makas, Allison MacLeod, Peggy Converse, T.J. Lewis, Matt Robinson, Sandy MacLeod, Daphne McLeod, Robert and Dorothy Bush, Iain Murdo MacLeod, Colleen Watza and Chris McLeod. The Michigan member turnout at Livonia was outstanding. We ended the season at Kalamazoo on a slightly rainy day with the tent handled jointly by commissioners, Bernie McLeod and John Norman MacLeod.

There also was an AGM Meeting in Seattle in August attended by a few from the Great Lakes Region. (Harry Boyes has more on this meeting in his Fall Clan MacLeod USA Newsletter.) We have begun making plans for a Clan MacLeod Global Meeting in 2004 scheduled for Chicago. Those assisting with initial plans are Coralane and Harry Boyes, John and Judy MacLeod, John and Sandra McClure, Jon and Marian MacLeod, and Rich and Cindy MacLeod plus Irene MacLeod. This gathering will represent the 50th anniversary of Clan MacLeod USA, initially founded in Chicago in 1954. Chief John from Dunvegan has already confirmed plans to attend. You will get more details in 2002.

We want to remind everyone that Clan MacLeod USA has their annual clan meeting in Alexandria, VA on Friday, Nov. 30th. Then on Saturday morning, all MacLeods with tartan regalia, march in a colorful Christmas Walk Parade including about fifty other clans. We party after the parade and all clan members are welcome. Reservations can be made at Best Western Old Colony Inn in Alexandria at 800-528-1234 with a rate of $75.00. If you have any questions, let us know. Finally, we want to thank all MacLeods visiting us this season. If you have any news on sick or lost loved ones, Bernie McLeod in Michigan is at 616-561-5153, John MacLeod in Illinois at 630-420-8733 and Ted Jones in Ohio at 216-351-9998.

"Hold Fast and We Shall Hold a Light" Bill MacLeod