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2nd AGM Brings MacAlpines Together! September 1st and 2nd, 2001, saw approximately 25 MacAlpines come together in Pleasanton, California, USA to celebrate our heritage and to confirm our common goal to see the recognition of a Clan MacAlpine Leader by the Lyon Court. About 60% of those who attended the Annual General Meeting were members of the Society, with the remaining 40% made up of Clan members who have not yet joined the Society. Below, an energetic group of attendees prepares to march in front of a grandstand filled with thousands of spectators as part of the Procession of the Clans. Prior to our entrance into the stadium, the announcer, Jerry Jardine, gave an informative biography of our ancient and Royal Clan to the crowds. Thanks Jerry! 
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Itinerary Saturday (September 1)All day: Check-in at the Clan MacAlpine Society tent and receive Clan plant badge pin (Scots pine) as a means of identification as part of Clan MacAlpine. Clanspersons were invited to stop in at the Clan MacAlpine Society tent throughout the day for kinship, refreshments, rest and a place to store things, and information on our heritage.All day: Festival activities including: numerous opportunities to view Scottish athletics, shop for Scottish related goods, eat Scottish foods, view Highland dancing, see various reenactments and period dress, and, of course, to listen to bagpipes and much, much more! 12:00 PM: March in the procession of the Clans. 1:00PM: Lunch at a bargain price available (in conjunction with our friends at Clan Chattan)! 6:30 PM: Meeting at a local hotel to hear reports and to discuss various issues relevant to the Clan and to the Society. 8:00 PM: Dinner at a local restaurant. Sunday (September 2)All day: Check-in at the Clan MacAlpine Society tent and receive Clan plant badge pin (Scots pine) as a means of identification as part of Clan MacAlpine. Clanspersons were invited to stop in at the Clan MacAlpine Society tent throughout the day for kinship, refreshments, rest and a place to store things, and information on our heritage.All day: Festival activities including: numerous opportunities to view Scottish athletics, shop for Scottish related goods, eat Scottish foods, view Highland dancing, see various reenactments and period dress, and, of course, to listen to bagpipes and much, much more! 12:00 PM: March in the procession of the Clans. 1:00PM: Lunch at a bargain price available (in conjunction with our friends at Clan Chattan)! 5:00PM: Fair-wells, hugs and promises to see each other soon. | ||||
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Highlights of the AGM Our group was comprised of individuals representing five different states and a wide range of ages. Just being in the presence of each other and knowing our common bond of heritage and our common desire to re-unite our Clan was a fantastic feeling. Having seven kilted gentlemen and another eight persons wearing ties, sashes, scarves, etc. combined to result in quite a wonderful display of our tartans. That, together with our Clan plant badges, formed the true picture of a unified Clan. We were all sort of looking around at each other saying, “Wow! This is really neat!” Each day, we had the opportunity to march together as a Clan onto the stadium field and assemble in front of the grandstand containing several thousand observers. During the ceremony, each Clan was asked to shout its War Cry. Each time, our Clan let out with a rousing and thunderous yell of “Remember the death of Alpin!” This was very inspiring to each of us on the field and to those of us seated in the grandstand. It gave us just a taste of what it must have been like when King Kenneth MacAlpin’s entire army shouted this same phrase before defeating the Picts to create the Scottish nation. Our Saturday evening meeting provided an opportunity for us to share the progress we have made and talk about the future. This included comments from our Washington, USA Commissioner, Kenneth McAlpine, who had just returned from visiting with the Lord Lyon in Scotland earlier in the week and presentation of an early draft of the first MacAlpine Arms (designed by the Lord Lyon himself) ever to be granted by the Lyon Court. Also presented were comments of encouragement from other Clan dignitaries and Clan members who could not be present. One of the most enjoyable events was the dinner following our meeting on Saturday night. We were seated in a virtually private dining area and we thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity this afforded for us to spend time together as a group, getting to know each other better. | ||||
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Thanks and Acknowledgements We would like to thank all those who joined us for this celebration of our heritage and who have helped to strengthen the fabric of our Clan through the development of kinship bonds. Without you, our Clan does not exist in the present day! We would also like to thank those who worked hard to help make this a successful and enjoyable event: Jerry Jardine and the Caledonian Club of San Francisco; Howard Shaw and the Clan Chattan; Joanne McAlpine, Society Vice-President; Lynn McAlpine, Society Executive Director; Fran Crandall – a friend of the Clan; and Kenneth J. McAlpine, Society President. | ||||
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