Laurie Pallett, Chief of the Year
Nairn Recreation Park, Nairn, ON
Saturday, July 11th, 2015
Welcome everyone to the 88th Reunion of the Stewart Clan of Glen Lyon Perthshire, Scotland. Thank you for making the trip – whether from the USA, or from across Canada, or from a brief drive away here in Ontario.
I am honoured to have been asked to be Chief of the Clan for 2015. I respect and appreciate the “role” even though I have not been a consistent attendee at the annual Reunions. I have always remembered the importance my Grandfather, Charles Wallace Stewart, gave to making the annual jaunt to the London area…..indeed, I recall going to Springbank Park…..way back!
What has nudged me in recent years, is the enthusiasm of my cousins Gay Stewart Spooner, Jon Stewart, and of course, our wonderful historian, Margaret Benet-Alder.
To paraphrase Jane MacKenzie, our Secretary-Treasurer, “Let’s reawaken some old memories while we make new ones.”
And Carole Stewart Anderson, your Chief in 2017, said to me “Let us keep the connection. To celebrate THAT is the most important!”
To gather and celebrate our heritage. To look at the family tree again and exclaim “Wow!”
Thank you ALL!
And now to proceed with our program for today.