John N. MacLeod

1276 Whitingham Cir.

Naperville, Il. 60540

(630)  420-8733
 johnnmacleod@aol.com

                 

  Spring 2004 Great Lakes Newsletter

 

Greetings from the Clan MacLeod Society and the Great Lakes Region. 

We started our new year late in January  by attending the Illinois St. Andrews Society Burns dinner January 24th in downtown Chicago. At least 300  people enjoyed cocktails, music, poetry, and supper.  The main speaker for the dinner was Calum MacLeod,  Minister of the Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago.  He was raised on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides.   He gave a very lively talk, and was grateful for the rousing support of the many MacLeods who were present.  Check the Greatlakes web site for pictures of the dinner participants.  www.macleodgreatlakes.org

 

Spring is slowly, and I mean slowly,  arriving in the Midwest,  and that means that we are again gearing up for another exciting highland games season.  Each year the MacLeod banner is raised at many Midwest locations by our loyal volunteers.  In Indiana we will be represented by Michael MacLeod, Commissioner  from Ft. Wayne.  He will man the tent at the Ft. Wayne Highland Games on June12-13th  at Concordia College in Ft. Wayne.  He may also attend the Indianapolis Games and will keep you posted about this.

 

Ohio Commissioner is Deborah McQueen.  She plans to attend  the Ohio Scottish Games in Wellington on June 26th.  The games are being held at the Lorain County Fairgrounds this year.  Other events are the Dayton Celtic Festival on July 30-31st.  The Dublin Irish Festival  August 6-8th  and the Cincinnati Celtic Music Cultural Festival to be held  September 25-26th at Coney Island Park. 

 

In Michigan, Michael O’Brien will be hosting the Alma Highland Games at Alma College on May 29 and 30th.  Michael will also be at the Kalamazoo Scottish Festival August 28th to be held at the Kalamazoo Fair Grounds.  The St Andrews Society of Detroit will hold its annual Highland Games on August 7th at Greenmead Historic Village in Livonia.  John and Judy MacLeod and other volunteers will hold down the tent there. 

                              

In Illinois, Bill G. MacLeod is the Commissioner and will be at the Springfield Games at the Illinois State Fairgrounds on May15th. He will also be hosting at the St Andrews Society Highland Games in Oak Brook, Illinois at the Polo Grounds on June 19th..  We have  the honor of being the Featured Clan of the Day, due in part to the celebration of our 50th Anniversary of the founding of the U.S.  Clan MacLeod Society. 

 

We also hope to attend the Milwaukee Wisconsin Games at Old Heidelberg  Park in Glengale, Wisc. on June 5th.    Please look for us at all these events, as our goal is to get people enthused about their Scottish heritage and to make new friends and renew old friendships.  Our volunteers are there to answer any and all your questions concerning the Clan MacLeod Society or activities of the Dunvegan Foundation. Check your area for the Games near you!!  Also, don’t forget Tartan Day which will be celebrated on April 6th.  Be sure to wear your tartan proudly!!

 

Lastly, the Great Lakes region will be hosting the NAG in July.  The gathering will start July 1st and run through July 5th. Chief  John MacLeod of MacLeod of Dunvegan will be our honored guest, as well as featured speaker and award winning Canadian  author Alistair MacLeod of Windsor Canada.  We will be celebrating both Canadian and American holidays at the event as well.  It is also the 50th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Clan MacLeod Society as I mentioned above.       

 

 

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