Don MacDougall's blog

Summer 2006
With the country in the grip of a heat wave, Clan MacDougall held its Annual General Meeting in the cool mountains of western North Carolina. Grandfather Mountain Highland Games formed the backdrop for our gathering.

Beginning Thursday night on the mountain the clans assembled, Clan MacDougall's presence was voiced by two dynamic women, Tammy Rondinaro and Kelly Wright. Their war cry gave fair warning to all assembled that Clan MacDougall's intentions were honorable but other clansmen could be at risk.

Early Friday morning Buzzy Bramble, Southeast Regional Commissioner and his wife Susan, had the Clan MacDougall tent area set up and ready for the guests. Everyone met Don Northcutt, our new VP for membership, for the first time. Many came from long distances to attend the Games and Annual Meeting. Among those were Beth and Bruce McClintock the Mid West Regional Commissioners from Missouri. Past Presidents and their wives were also in attendance: Wylie and Debbie McDougal, Jack and Nancy Kane, John A. and Pricilla McDougall. Although unable to make the meeting, Dick and Betsey MacDougall made it to the Barbeque on Saturday evening.

May 2006
Dear fellow Clansmen,

As we head for Grandfather Mountain and the Annual General Meeting it is a good time to reflect on what we have accomplished this past year. It has been an exciting year for the Society. We have a new set of Bylaws and 8 new committee chairs. We have a new Membership Vice President, and we have new regional Commissioners (in the Pacific Crescent, Cuff Burrell; Buzzy Bramble in the Southeast, Ashby McCowan in the Mid Atlantic and George MacDougall in Canada West).

Our Recording Secretary William Ermatinger is very close to having the Clan Society's 501c3 status approved by the IRS. The process was financially supported by Wylie McDougall and the privately held Clan MacDougall Foundation. I hope to report at the AGM that William has it completed. When all is done there will be two separate entities, the Clan MacDougall Foundation with its own Board of Directors and the Clan MacDougall Society of North America, Inc. with our Board of Directors. The Board of Directors for the Clan Society is elected by members of the Clan Society in accordance with a recently passed Bylaw change that stipulates that the Board of Directors be elected by the current members of the Board, the Regional Commissioners, and by the Chairs of the Standing Committees instead of just by the Board of Directors. The Clan MacDougall Foundation elects its board in accordance with its own Bylaws.