FIRST MONTH GONE!

The first month of my Presidency of the Burns Howff Club has gone and hey! What great fun it’s been.

With out being too repetitive and going over some of the events that I have attended and have already been reported on here, by both me and the Secretary, in his blog’s…. (Aint Mr Smith a good blogger?) Here’s a flavour of the ‘first month’ (after Coldstream & the soiree…read earlier blog’s)

The Holy Fair at Mauchline on Saturday 23rd May was a great day out, so relaxed, lots of things happening all at different times and places and meeting loads of nice people both from the world of Burns and Music alike.  Our 2009 projects are well under way and a very constructive meeting of the 2009 committee took place in the club room at the Globe on 25th May. Checkout  the home page on the website to view details of most of these events.

 I ended up being paired with the Secretary at the bowling night at DockPark on Thursday 28th May,  when we tried!  But failed miserably in our quest to win the ‘dreaded Draffan Cup*’. I had the honour of presenting the trophy to JVP Frank Manson and his partner Past President Bert Hastings who were worthy winners; read the report on the web site of another great night of fun in the club. On Saturday 30th May, work commitments meat I had to miss the AGM of the Southern Scottish Counties Burns Association’s (SSCBA) AGM however in the evening I travelled to Gilcknockie public hall, by Cannonbie, to compere and sing at their ‘Homecoming’ concert. An enjoyable evening of friendship and community spirit was most evident where it was great to meet in with honorary member of the Howff Club,  ‘Mr Langholm’, Alex Pool.  Alex was in good form with his recitations and looks forward to being one of our special guests at the club’s Halloween night in October. Throw in a couple of meetings and ‘numerous’ e-mails from the Secretary and hey! That’s the 'first month gone'.

June and July look like being just as busy and a reminder that the Guid Nychburris celebrations take place in Dumfries from 13/20th June when I will be playing the part of a Baillie. The Big Parade is a highlight of Guid Nychburris and it will be interesting to see who succeeds in winning the Howff Trophy for the best Burns themed entry.

 

*The dreaded Draffan Cup. This is the prize that is ‘offered’ to the winning team at the bowling night. It was first played for in the club in 1911 and has been presented most years since for various sports, most recently bowls. The cup is nothing much too look at and hasn’t been cleaned properly for years! Although there is a suggestion that last year’s winner (not a club member) had tried in vain to keep it clean. Many members fear that their name will appear as a winner on the cup hence the title ‘dreaded Draffan Cup. I have been ‘unfortunate’ to have won it for my skill at dominoes in 2008.

 

JOHN M CASKIE

PRESIDENT BURNS HOWFF CLUB

 4 JUNE 2009