Clan Memberships

[HeathBar]

Those are awfully broad statements. You may or may not get out of any organization what you put into it. Not every society is run as efficiently as yours.

I made a statement about two specific groups and how they operate in my part of the state. I do volunteer, I do pay dues, and I do participate in events in any way that I can.

I really don't like being told that I am either being dishonest, or that my experiences are invalid.

I think we have a case where our posts were being typed around the same time. As I was not referring in any way to your original post. I'm sorry that you have had a bad experience with the Stewarts. I have friend who I think is in that society. I'll ask him if he has any contacts that might could help you out.

[HeathBar]

The membership fees are broken up into 4 payments. They were something like $25, $20,
$15, and $30.

I think that might be what the annual dues are for the month you join. They are prorated for your first year, then you pay the full amount at the next renewal time. Everyone's dues are usually due at the same time, not on the anniversary of the date you joined. At least that's how we do it.

[St. Amish]

I think we have a case where our posts were being typed around the same time. As I was not referring in any way to your original post. I'm sorry that you have had a bad experience with the Stewarts. I have friend who I think is in that society. I'll ask him if he has any contacts that might could help you out.

Meanwhile, my original point is missed entirely.

Some groups have high participation. People who want to volunteer and attend events will be happy to be with groups such as these.

Some groups don't. There are people who are perfectly okay with sending their money off, and getting a newsletter periodically.

I am not upset with the CSSA. They just do things differently than I would have expected. I will continue to pay my dues, and read my newsletters.

When we go to events, though, we are looking for more of the Gunn experience, volunteering, eating, joking, and catching up with the group.

Two different products, two different groups. You will run into both types, and innumerable variants between.

I would do as much research on the group as you can before plunking down your fees.

[piperdbh]

My clan society's membership is $20/year. That gets 4 e-mail newsletters, lapel pins with the badge printed on them, a little piece of tartan to use as a bookmark, a membership directory, and a little notebook with the by-laws and such inside. It also gets you invited to the AGM, which moves from Games to Games. This past year, our regional convener offered me a Saturday parking pass to a nearby Games. The money also funds scholarships for members who want to study Celtic/Gaelic culture, language and/or arts, such as 'piping, dance, history, etc.

[Duncanofcolorado]

Meanwhile, my original point is missed entirely.

Some groups have high participation. People who want to volunteer and attend events will be happy to be with groups such as these.

Some groups don't. There are people who are perfectly okay with sending their money off, and getting a newsletter periodically.

I am not upset with the CSSA. They just do things differently than I would have expected. I will continue to pay my dues, and read my newsletters.

When we go to events, though, we are looking for more of the Gunn experience, volunteering, eating, joking, and catching up with the group.

Two different products, two different groups. You will run into both types, and innumerable variants between.

I would do as much research on the group as you can before plunking down your fees.

This is sort of what I was looking for. Different experiences that folks have with these organizations. Thanks for all your feedback. I will be doing research via their web site before I commit my time and money to any group.
I would have expected them to have a person at the Festival instead of a table with a sign in sheet though. Not an auspicious start.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

I would have expected them to have a person at the Festival instead of a table with a sign in sheet though. Not an auspicious start.

I wouldn't be too hard on what is, after all, a voluntary society with no paid staff to run it. As far as someone not showing up at an event goes, sometimes life intervenes at the last moment (as happened to the Clan MacMillan tent at the Greenville Scottish Games in 2008), and sometimes the wrong people are tasked with the wrong jobs.

Since you are a member of your clan society, why not grab the bull by the horns, and set up a Clan Sutherland table right next to the Gunns at the next event you attend?

[Duncanofcolorado]

I wouldn't be too hard on what is, after all, a voluntary society with no paid staff to run it. As far as someone not showing up at an event goes, sometimes life intervenes at the last moment (as happened to the Clan MacMillan tent at the Greenville Scottish Games in 2008), and sometimes the wrong people are tasked with the wrong jobs. Since you are a member of your clan society, why not grab the bull by the horns, and set up a Clan Sutherland table right next to the Gunns at the next event you attend?

Point taken about the voluntary nature of it. Actually, during my 3 days at the festival I spent at least 2 hours by that folding table talking to others who came by. I even went so far as to stand behind the table making it look like I was the volunteer but after the 4th question I decided I wasn't of much help so I departed and left the folding table to fend for itself.

[Livingston]

Clan MacLea (Livingstone) Association is just starting up. Our dues, once we get the form posted, are $25/year. That will get you access to the Clan Association web site, a newsletter which we don't know the frequency of yet, an invitation to volunteer at games in your area from me, and who knows what else in the future. None of the officers are paid, in fact, money will be coming out of our pockets to get the association moving. I will end up purchasing or making the first set of banners for the clan tent and who knows what else. Others will bear the cost of software for the newsletter, needs of the secretary etc. All of us will be and have spent many hours working to get the society moving and to keep it moving. So, what you have to decide is... what is it worth to you? Look at your clan's web site and see what you "get" for your dues. Decide if you want to volunteer then decide if it is worth it to you.

BTW, look for us in August at Highlands Ranch and September at Estes Park. We will have a tent at each, also at Elizabeth in July.

[jordanjm]

I would like to share my experience with my clan society. I joined the Clan MacGillivray Society, USA in 2005. I was reading through my first journal, and felt impressed to call the society president, and ask how can I help. He spoke to a few members of the board, and they asked me to be a Convener. Here I am almost 32, and I have a postion of responsibility in my association. I am the youngest convener in my association, and I am also developing a genealogy site for the association. I have tapped into a great family, and I hope to be associated with them for a long time. What did I have to do? I had to make 3 to 5 calls to find the right person to talk to, and put myself out there. I now have friends in other clans, as well because I worked at trying to help. It is great. I love being involved in my Clan Association.

[ForresterModern]

Clan Forrester is an association that has been around 30 or 40 years or so in some formaor another and has a relatively good organization in America---not even sure a branch exists in Scotland or England (we are a Border Clan). They have in that time developed two original tartans in Modern and Hunting designs, and developed a pretty well organized network in the southeaster US--Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia, the three most prevalent places where Forrester/Forster/Fosters migrated initially in the US when they arrived. They have a decent geneological service available, much about clan and damily history and background, a gift shop selling the tartans in raw yardage at a decent discount as well as some clan items like shirts and hats and pins, etc.., as well as some family specific publications like certain family branch histories and a liting of all documented Forrester/Foster/Forster/Vorsters by name and ship of arrival for over a hundred plus year period (a great help to find your original ancestor who imigrated and then try to trace backward from there into the old country). $50 a year gets you membership and some pins along with the quarterly mailings and occasional emailings and notifications of meetings and gatherings and highland events where the clan will be having a public presence in a clan tent. I have partaken of certain of the benefits and anticipate using more of them over the next few years as I extend my geneology back the las couple generations to the original Forrester in my line who came over, then hoefully trace roots and origin in the old country.

So for my $50 a year I thin it worthwhile, and I have not even been that involved in the one year since I joined.

Jeff