The Gunn Salute Good News About a Great Family
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The Gunn Salute Good News About a Great Family Volume 6, Issue 1 Winter 2017 Inside this issue: AGM Cover MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS NOW! & 3 2017 Clan Gunn Society of North America AGM President’s 2 Letter June 9-11, 2017 Member Pictures 3 Salt Lake City, Utah Investiture 4 The 2017 AGM will be held in conjunction with the 2017 Utah Scottish Festival Pictures and Highland Games. Clan Gunn will be the honored Clan, and Christian G 5 our own Rich Gunn will be the Chieftain of the Games! Malcolm Kehm USMC The meeting and dinner for the 2017 AGM will be on Friday June 9th at 4:45PM Scholarship in the Heritage Building at the Utah State Fair Park. Help Wanted 5 The Fair Park is located at 155 North 1000 West, Salt Lake City. For Sale By 6-7 Gunns Adam B. Gunn 8 Hotel Details: The Royal 9 Hyatt Place Salt Lake City Downtown/The Gateway Edinburgh Military 55 North 500 West Tattoo Salt Lake City Branch 10 UT 84101 Commissioners of (801) 456-6300 the CGSNA Officers of the 11 Rate: $109.00/night - includes Hot Breakfast and Free WiFi. CGSNA Parking is an additional $10.00 per night. Mention G-CGNA for this rate. Royal Edinburgh Discounted Rate expires Friday May 12th. Military Tattoo Clan Gunn Store 12 Additional AGM information is located on Page 3. For Sale by Gunns 13-15 http://www.clangunn.us/AGM2017.htm (Pictures) Page 2 The Gunn Salute Letter from the President – Winter 2017 Dave Ziemer Greetings Brothers and Sisters of Clan Gunn, let me introduce myself. My name is Dave Ziemer, newly elected as President of CGSNA. I want to begin by sincerely thanking Rich for his years of faithful service as our President. I know I have some big shoes to fill, but with people like Rich Gunn, Charlie Kehm, Chuck Franz, Alise Erickson, Jerred Gunn and Anne Gunn as part of the team, I hope to serve you well. 2016 was an interesting year, filled with many wonderful things. We saw Iain Gunn take his place as our Chief. There were many well attended festivals & games across North America where Gunns could share our history, and bring some wandering Gunns back into the fold. We had a great AGM where 45 of our members feasted, toasted and enjoyed the all that the Chicago games had to offer. However, there were many challenges as well. Last year saw a continuation of the of the decline of new memberships, as well as renewals. This is not peculiar to Clan Gunn; all the clans are suffering with the same lack of interest. We are all competing with a multitude of competitors for the attention of people with Scottish heritage. The average age of members involved in their clans’ societies is getting older every year. Young people of Scottish lineage don’t seem interested any more. I know it seems like I’m being a little negative right out of the box, but there is always a great deal of hope! For instance, now that you can renew or apply for Gunn membership on our website, it’s easier than ever to join and more people are doing so! We can all work to reverse this trend if we put our heads together. I think we must show people who take the time to visit us that we are more than just a cultural organization, we are a FAMILY! I am not saying that we think we are the former, but from the comments I hear from visitors to our display, that impression surely exists. One of the things I’ve noticed is that some clans sit & socialize with themselves as visitors walk by their booths without being acknowledged. If they would only get up and talk with the folks, they might kindle some interest in our collective cause. Engagement is key! I want to hear from all our members. Everybody has talents & Ideas that need to be shared. I’d love to see pictures, & hear stories from all the great things we do. And, most of all if any of you have ideas that will help attract and keep members, let us know. No idea is unimportant, we all share in this responsibility! Clan Gunn is going to bigger than ever with all the great members of our family doing all the awesome things that we do. I am so glad to be a part of future of Gunn! Slàinte mhòr agad! Dave Page 3 The Gunn Salute 2017 Clan Gunn Society of North America AGM (Cont.) AGM Agenda: 4:45pm - 5:45pm: Annual General Meeting 5:45pm - 6:45pm: Sit Down Dinner, Drinks & Fellowship in the Heritage Building, Utah State Fair Park. 7:00pm - 9:00pm: Concert in the Entertainment Tent on the Tattoo Field. Live Entertainment by Men of Worth, Molly's Revenge and Wicked Tinkers. Travel Information: Salt Lake City International Airport, The Utah State Fair Park are all on the TRAX light rail Green Line, with the Airport to the West, the Hyatt Place in downtown, and the Utah State Fair Park between the two. Trains run every 15 minutes in both directions, the journey from the Airport to the Hyatt Place takes approx.15 Minutes, and from the Hyatt Place back to the Fair Park takes approx. 5 Minutes. Timetable and Fare information can be found on the UTA TRAX website Utah State Fair Park Driving Directions and Map Please contact David Bricker, Central Rocky Mountain North District Commissioner with any questions. His address is: 758 S 590 E, Orem UT 84097 and his phone number is (414) 687-0522. Member Pictures Left: Clan March in Lehi, Utah at the Thanksgiving Point Games in June 2016— Picture by Bill Elrick Below Left: Highlands just north of the Borderlands, north of Glasgow—Picture by Robby Robinson Below Right: Eilean Donan Castle, side view—Picture by Robby Robinson Page 4 The Gunn Salute Investiture Pictures Iain's new ancient kilt, made by Alexis Malcolm Kehm and given as a gift from Charlie, Alexis and the North American branch of Clan Gunn Those in attendance at the Investiture attending the tour of Holyrood Castle The wooden clock made by Linda Gunn given to Iain at his Investiture representing the Tree of Life in which the Clan Gunn's line will continue. Investiture attendees Page 5 The Gunn Salute Christian G Malcolm Kehm, USMC Memorial Scholarship This time of the year always touches our souls & hearts as we pen the 8th Annual Christian G Malcolm Kehm, USMC Memorial Scholarship article for the GUNN SALUTE. As we approach this year of presenting piping and drumming Scholarships at the famed North American Academy of Piping and Drumming in the North Carolina Highlands, the Scholarship Committee wants to thank all those donating including Rich Gunn, Past President of North American Commissioner of Clan Gunn Society of North America & the Clan McCallum - Malcolm Society of North America along with many other members of both societies and other clans. As a result of this generosity the Scholarship Committee awarded full week piping scholarships to: Sgt. Chris Jones Jacksonville Police Department and USMC an a Clan McCallum-Malcolm member & Sgt. Tim Nazzaro Orange County Sheriffs Department and a Clan Gunn Member & Christopher Hyppolite a 15 year old Palm Beach Pipes & Drums student piper & Scotland Boland a 17 year old First Coast Highlanders beginning piper & Steve Attwood a Rosie O'Grady's Highlanders student piper, a Senior Teacher at Winter Park, a former US Navy Quartermaster and a member of Clan MacLeod. This year the scholarship committee is working hard to increase the number of winners and WE NEED YOUR HELP AND DONATIONS. Please consider donating and helping our brothers and sisters attend the North American Academy of Piping and Drumming to experience some of the very best instructors in the world insuring that "Glorious Music" we all love so much. As our son Chris often said "the Academy is truly a magical place". Respectfully Submitted, Charlie & Alexis Malcolm Kehm HELP WANTED The Clan Gunn Society of North America is in need of a volunteer to process orders for merchandise for items in the Clan Gunn Store. These items can be ordered through our web site using PayPal or by mail. This activity does not involve a lot of time. You would be responsible for checking for electronic orders forwarded by the Treasurer or sent by US Mail, preparing an invoice and forwarding the invoice that to Rich Gunn, who handles the storage and shipment of merchandise. Normal orders would be less than a few per week, on average. Further information regarding the Store can be had by contacting Rich Gunn at [email protected]. Anyone interested should contact President Dave Ziemer at [email protected]. President Ziemer is also interested in hearing from any member interested in volunteering in any capacity for the Society. If you have any skills you’d like to offer or see a task you think needs to be handled please contact Dave. Page 6 The Gunn Salute For Sale by Gunns Recently, we have had severalVolume people 1, Issue reach 1 out to us inquiring if we could find good homes for Gunn items they possess. Pictures will be provided if they available. Contact: Amy Rogers ([email protected]) My name is Amy Robeson Rogers. My father's family is from the Gunn Clan through the Robeson line. When my father was alive, he and my mother enjoyed going to the Scottish Games in Savannah, GA. One year they went to Scotland and, while there, ordered kilts made of ancient Gunn, which were sent home to them when ready.