Scottish Society celebrates 40 years

Temperatures were dipping into the low 30s and the forecast called for light rain changing to snow, but members of the Scottish Society of Richmond were undeterred as they gathered at Walkerton Tavern April 7 for "Bagpipes and Kilts."

"We're Scots," said Scottish Society President Ann Terrill-Scholte with a laugh. "We don't mind the cold; we're accustomed to being out in the weather."

The event, sponsored by Henrico County Recreation and Parks and billed as a celebration of Scottish Heritage Month, drew pipes and drums groups as well as history buffs and lovers of Scottish culture.

It also served as a fitting venue for the Society, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, to promote the events it sponsors for members and the general public. Those include Pub Nights, an annual Robert Burns Night dinner, participation at festivals such as the Highland Games, and the Kirkin' O' the Tartans.

At Walkerton Tavern, members of the Society passed out samples of traditional Scottish foods such as scones and haggis, and drew a steady stream of visitors eager to browse displays of maps and tartans and delve into geography and history.

It's educational programs like these that appeal to Dani Tiller, who joined the Society 11 years ago. "This is what I get excited about," she said, nodding at the crowds of young and old clustering around the booth. "Just learning about it.

"I love Scotland; I think it's fascinating," Tiller continued. "I've been there and I want to share what I see. It's fun to get together and share."

One of her favorite memories of Society events, she added, was attending the Kirkin' O' the Tartans at Irvington's 17th-century Christ Church. She also enjoys hearing authors and other speakers who come to teach Gaelic or talk about their travels.

Member Marian Baxter said she visited Scotland for the first time in 1985, when she and her parents traced their lineage in Clan McMillan. Like Tiller, she enjoys volunteering at events such as the Celtic games, helping visitors to the Society booth find their clan and tartan. "I like to see them light up," she said.

Odes and pageantry
For past president Joseph Schaub, the music, history, art and literature of Scotland all have appeal. Although his ethnic heritage is a mixture, he noted, "I like the Scottish side of me more than the other sides."

Hailing from Clan MacLeod, Schaub plays the Scottish fiddle, has traveled to Scotland three times, and said he gets a charge out of the "modern pageantry, with all the tartans." He also enjoys club social events, and when asked to name a favorite memory, hesitated not a bit before answering, "Reciting 'Ode to the Haggis' by Robert Burns at the Burns Dinner."

With a Master of Letters in Scottish history from the University of Dundee, new member Margaret Clark is obviously passionate about Scotland's heritage and culture. After she moved to the Richmond area from Georgia, where she was active with House of Gordon, it seemed only natural to seek out a local group that shared her interests.

"It's a great way to get out and meet people," Clark said of the Scottish Society. "You do so many fun and interesting things."

For Judy Wallace Moore, who got involved with the group after her husband died in 2006, the Society offers a way to continue the activities she once shared with her husband. "We did the dress-up thing; we took three trips to Scotland," she recalled of the years with her late husband, Chris Garrett.

"Everybody is very welcoming," she said of the Society. "Once you've bonded like that with friends, you want to continue."

Friends and family
Like Moore, Ann Terrill-Scholte considers her involvement with the Scottish Society a tribute of sorts. A member for 25 years, she continued in the Society as a way of honoring her late father-in-law, Paul Scholte, after his death in 2011.

She enjoys the educational aspects of the club, as well as the social gatherings, and would like to see the Society membership grow.

In the past, Society fundraisers (primarily the Robert Burns Night silent auction) produced enough money to award scholarships to students traveling to or from Scotland for their studies.

But the same societal trends that have reduced membership rolls in so many clubs also have hit the Scottish Society, whose dwindling numbers have made it harder to raise the funds to support scholarships – let alone other items on the club wish list. With more members and funds, said Terrill-Scholte, the Society could not only support scholarships, but purchase Scottish dance outfits in various sizes and sponsor the dancers who fit them.

Whether or not the wish list ever becomes reality, however, the enthusiasm of the members never dims – not for the Scottish Society, or for all things Scottish.

Just ask Tim MacLeod.

Since moving to Richmond from Louisa in the mid-90's, MacLeod has made the Society a way of life. "I love the culture and heritage. There is so much American history tied to the Scots," said MacLeod, ticking off the names of Scottish presidents, inventors, and military heroes. Every July, he looks forward to traveling to the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games in North Carolina to enjoy the camaraderie of friends new and old.

He reminisces about one such friend, Andy Mowatt, who passed away last year. A veteran of World War II and Korea, "Andy was like a brother and a father to me," said MacLeod. "He taught me everything about kilts and tartans."

With a chuckle, he added, "He was like our local Sean Connery. All the ladies loved him; they didn't care how old he was.

"That's the best part of the Scottish Society," MacLeod summed up. "The friends I've made over the years -- the warmth of the friendships.

"It's my family."

For details about the Scottish Society of Richmond, visit http://richmondscots.org.