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News & Events

Burns Night - Jan 20, 2024

Hello All,  the Annual Burns Supper is set for January 20, 2024.  Be there or be square!  Details are below.

 

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Christmas Ceilidh 2023

Kirkin O' the Tartans - Sunday, November 19th

Please join the Saint Andrews Society of Williamsburg for the Autumn Kirkin’ of the Tartans at Williamsburg Presbyterian Church on Sunday, November 19th at 10:30AM, to participate in this uplifting Scottish-American tradition.

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Location:   Williamsburg Presbyterian Church

                   215 Richmond Road, Williamsburg  23185

                   (Located one block from Colonial Williamsburg, and across from William &        Mary Campus)

 

Parking:  In the lot behind the church, or along Richmond Road and adjacent streets. You may also park in the Williamsburg Public Library lot.

 

SAS-W members should assemble in front of the church at 10:30am for a procession inside, which will be led by the Williamsburg Pipes and Drums ahead of the service.  The service begins at 11am and lasts approximately one hour.

Please wear and/or bring tartans to be blessed.

 

RSVPs:   The church will reserve seats for SAS-W and your RSVP is needed, to provide an accurate headcount.  Our group seating will be based on that headcount.  Please email your rsvp no later than Saturday, November 11th to Vicki Scott:  merryva@outlook.com

 

 

SAS-W usually has a large turnout for this event and we look forward to seeing you there!

Annual General Meeting – Sunday,  November 19th

Join your fellow members and significant others as we gather for the Society’s 2023 Annual General Meeting (AGM).  This event will consist of a potluck lunch, followed by the AGM -- topped off with a complimentary whiskey tasting.

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Lunch

Lunch will be served at 1:00PM.  SAS-W will provide sandwiches, soft drinks, and wine.  Members are welcome to bring a potluck dish to add to the table.

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Location:  Windsor Forest Club House, 108 Wyndham Way, Williamsburg 23188

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NOTE:  Your RSVP is required and may be emailed to our Society secretary, Vicki Scott at: merryva@outlook.com

 

    ~ Please keep in mind that RSVPs are essential to plan seating, as well as Society purchases of sandwiches, soft drinks, and wine.  RSVP no later than Friday, November 10th and include yourself + 1 adult guest.  

 

    ~ If you opt to contribute a dish for the table, please advise and identify what it will be.

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The AGM

This important annual meeting follows lunch in the same location.  It will include general Society business, piping-in of 2023 members, voting for incoming board members, and presentation of the Society’s Scot of the Year award.

 

After all business is conducted, a complimentary scotch whiskey tasting will be presided over by Bob Davis and Tim Cordle.

 

Event Volunteers:  A helping hand for any of the following tasks would be welcome:

 

    - Returning the clubhouse to “the way we found it” order

    - Help with setup the day before (Saturday, 11/18)

    - Help with setting up the potluck buffet - which means that you will need to skip the morning service.

 

*If you’re interested in helping, please include in your RSVP to Vicki.*

 

Thank you.

SASW Autumn Ceildh 2023

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Tartan Day 2023 - Food Drive April 6

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Grove Christian Outreach Center,  6 April 2023

 

On 6 April the Society  visited the Grove Christian Outreach Center and donated numerous food and hygiene products to the outreach center for distribution to the less fortunate.  This is now a yearly event.  The donations were generous and the outreach staff were delighted.  

 

Photo by Andy McGowan. 

 

British Car Club, April 22

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On April 22 the Williamsburg British Car Club sponsored a car show in the  parking lot next to Revolution Golf and Grille.  This was a charitable event with part of the proceeds donated to the Arc of Greater Williamsburg.  

 

This was a fine car show with plenty of shiny British antique cars.

 

Several members and guests of St. Andrew’s Society of Williamsburg attended informally just for fun.  Please see the photo above which shows SASW President Jerry Lelansky and friends admiring one of the cars .
 

Spring Kirking at Christ Church, April 23

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On April 23 the Society held a Kirking of the Tartans at the Historic Christ Church in Weems, Virginia.  A Kirking of the Tartans is a Scottish-American tradition where family tartans are presented at a church (Kirk) service for blessing.  Above is a photo of SASW members before the Historic Christ Church.  This is always a moving experience.

 

From left to right: Harley Stewart, Bob Davis, Jerry Lelansky (President), Irene Lelansky (Board member), Russ Madigan (Sergeant at Arms), and Daryl Johnson. 

 

Photo credit Jerry Lelansky. 

Tartan Day Parade, April 29th

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Please see the photos in the website Gallery page, Tartan Day April 2023.

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Founders  Day, May 13th

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On 13 May 2023 St. Andrew’s Society of Williamsburg gathered at Ford’s Colony to celebrate the 55th Anniversary of the Society’s founding in 1968.  An excellent buffet lunch and an interesting program followed.  Several new members were presented at this event, which demonstrates that the Society is growing.  Please see the website Gallery for photos of the event. 

Letter from the President

Lassies and Lads,

 

It is my great pleasure to be addressing you as the 2023 President of the Saint Andrew’s Society of Williamsburg. I’m sure a few are wondering about my last name and why I joined our great society.  My Scottish heritage is on my mother’s side, with ancestral ties to Clan Anstruther, Fife, Scotland.  

 

Thank you to Douglas Boller, our immediate past President, and our very active and involved Board members.  I will rely on the boards’ knowledge and expertise to keep me on the straight and narrow.

 

We had a great Burns Night at Fords Colony on January 21st.  Many thanks to Tim Cordle, our Master of Ceremonies and the Burns Night committee; to Douglas Boller for his Address to the Haggis and Toast to the Haggis as well has his explanation and recital of Tam O’Shanter; and thank you Lianne Boller for the slide presentations and designing the Burns Nights night program.  Thanks to Terri Cordle and Marshall Thomas for taking pictures and thanks to Terri and Anna, Tim and Terri’s daughter, for handling the registration table.  Our silent auction exceeded all expectations, and I want to thank Sherri Cornoni for managing it. Once again Russ Madigan, our Quartermaster, did the yeoman’s share of the work setting up and tearing down everything needed for the successful event.  Thanks to several others that made the evening a success.  Also, thank you Poison Dwarf and last, but definitely not least, a huge thank you to the Williamsburg Pipes and Drums band for their performance.  This is a list of the pieces they played:  

 

  • Entrance: Scotland the Brave/Wings

  • Skye Boat

  • Green Hills of Tyrol/The Battles Over

  • A Man’s a Man For a’ That

  • Brown Haired Maid/ High Road to Gairloch

  • Presentation of the colors:  God Bless America

  • Recessional: Scotland the Brave/Wings

  • Presentation of the Haggis: A Man’s A Man For A’ That

 

Holding with tradition, we will celebrate Tartan Day, Founders Day, Kirkin’ of the Tartans, Saint Andrew’s Day, our two annual food drives for Grove Christian Outreach, the Annual General Meeting and our Christmas Party.  Since it was a big success, we’ll also again participate in the Williamsburg Christmas Parade, to be held on the first Sunday in December. Also, I hope that members will join in “manning” a SAS-W tent at the Richmond Highland Games on Nov 4-5, as well joining the Daughters of the American Revolution Williamsburg (DAR) in laying wreaths on Veterans graves at Cedar Grove Cemetery on the third Saturday in December.  We will also formulate plans for a few fund raising events this year.

 

The Tartan Day Committee is developing plans for the Tartan Day celebration, to include enhanced publicity for this and other Society events.  On April 6, Tartan Day, we will again provide our annual food and monetary donations to Grove Christian Outreach, with many society members clad in their tartans. We will officially recognize Tartan Day on April 29 with a parade, led by more than thirty members from several local Pipes and Drum bands, down the Duke of Gloucester Street, followed by lunch and a lively program for our members at Lewis Hall, in the Bruton Parish House.

 

Please invite friends and family to join in our gatherings and functions. This will increase interest and hopefully new members.  With new members comes fresh ideas and energies that will strengthen our goal of preserving Scottish culture for future generations.

 

 

Yours Aye,

 

Jerry Lelansky

Link to the Society's Facebook Page

This is an excellent and informative site.  Please click here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Saint-Andrews-Society-of-Williamsburg/202981426431383

 

Society Event Photos

Photos of recent Society events can be found in the Gallery on this website.  Just click on the Gallery tab at the top of this page.

 

Williamsburg Pipes and Drums

Here is the website:  http://williamsburgpipesanddrums.org
 

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